Spreadsheets

There are two tools available to LPS staff that perform spreadsheet functions. Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. Both are excellent options, and have their own strengths that may lead you to use one over the other depending upon your needs and situation. Both are supported by Computing Services.

Google Sheets

With Google Sheets, you can create and edit spreadsheets directly in your web browser—no special software is required. Multiple people can work simultaneously, you can see people’s changes as they make them, and every change is saved automatically.

Google Sheets is an appealing choice for organizing data or giving students experience organizing data.

PARAMETERS FOR USE: https://www.lps.org/apps/matrix/detail.cfm?app=366

Support Resources

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Excel 2016 is the version of Microsoft Office’s spreadsheet tool install on all LPS staff Macintosh and Windows machines.

Excel really shines when you are looking to get the most out of your data through powerful functions, or extending it into other mediums through a mail merge, for example.

Support Resources

Download Class Lists
from Synergy

Much of the data teachers work with will be collected on your own students. LPS can provide you with a spreadsheet populated with the students you teach. Directions for downloading this information can be found here.

Spreadsheet Skills
for Teachers & Staff

LPS offers a one-hour staff development workshop in which staff are introduced to the basic (sometimes overlooked) ways in which spreadsheets are used. If you are interested in bringing this session to your school, have an administrator contact Kristi Peters. Or, use the link below to learn independently.

Excel Tips & Tricks

LPS Computing Services has assembled a number of Excel tips that may be useful to office professionals based upon our history of supporting their needs. Please reach out via a help ticket if you have needs that are not addressed in this resource.

How do I...

Google Sheets

MS Excel

Create and rename spreadsheets

GoogleMicrosoft

Change the font size or color

GoogleMicrosoft

Change the cell background color

GoogleMicrosoft

Add or remove cell borders

GoogleMicrosoft

Add and delete rows or columns

GoogleMicrosoft

Move rows and columns

GoogleMicrosoft

Cut, Copy, and Paste cell content

GoogleMicrosoft

Autofill (use the fill handle to automatically populate cells)

GoogleLPS Document

Wrap text in a cell

GoogleMicrosoft

Format numbers, dates, and currencies

GoogleMicrosoft

Conditional formatting

GoogleLPS Document

Shading alternate rows (or columns) in a worksheet

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Sort a sheet's data

GoogleLPS Document

Sort by cell format

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Sort horizontally

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Switch data from columns to rows (and vice versa) with Transpose

GoogleLPS Document

Filter a sheet's data

GoogleLPS Document

Freeze or unfreeze columns & rows

GoogleMicrosoft

Hiding or unhiding columns & rows

GoogleLPS Document

Copy, re-order, and delete sheets

GoogleMicrosoft

Get notifications when data is added

Google

Add simple formulas

GoogleMicrosoft

AutoSum (and Average, Count, Max, Min)

GoogleLPS Document

Insert the current date with the TODAY function

GoogleLPS Document

Insert the current date and time with the NOW function

GoogleLPS Document

Convert a date to text with the TEXT function

GoogleLPS Document

Count the number of cells that match specific criteria with the COUNTIF function

GoogleLPS Document

Join data from two or more cells into one

GoogleLPS Document

Combine data on two different worksheets into one worksheet with VLOOKUP

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Combine data on two different worksheets into one worksheet with QUERY and IMPORTDATA

Google
Google
LPS Document

Removing Duplicates

LPS Document

Separate one column of names into multiple columns using SPLIT

GoogleLPS Document

Separate one column of names into multiple columns using "text to columns"

GoogleLPS Document

Separate one column of dates into multiple columns

GoogleLPS Document

Create & edit charts or graphs

GoogleMicrosoft

Import data sets and spreadsheets

Google

Download the spreadsheet

Google

Print the spreadsheet

GoogleMicrosoft

Locate the revision history of the spreadsheet

Google