CLASS OBJECTIVE
Learn how to navigate the basic structure of Google Sheets (cells, rows, and columns) to create a personal information table, and apply formatting techniques such as alignment, merging, borders, fill color, font styles, and number formats to make data clear and readable.
INTRODUCTION
Have you ever seen a messy table that’s hard to read? we call this situation as a raw table because we have missing elements like header, format, colors or desing.
Today, you’ll learn how to make your spreadsheet look professional using the very basic elements to make useful and complete the data in a table .
Anatomy of a Spreadsheet
Before modifying data, you must understand the five primary components of Google Sheets:
Cell: The individual box where a row and column intersect (e.g., A1, B2). It holds a single piece of data.
Row: The horizontal group of cells identified by numbers (1, 2, 3...).
Column: The vertical group of cells identified by letters (A, B, C...).
Data: The text, numbers, dates, or symbols entered into a cell.
Formula Bar: The bar at the top of the sheet used to view, enter, or edit data and formulas in the active cell.
CELL FORMATTING TOOLS
Alignment: Controls the position of text inside a cell horizontally (Left, Center, Right) and vertically (Top, Middle, Bottom).
Merge Cells: Combines two or more adjacent cells into one larger cell (commonly used for main headers).
Wrap Text: Adjusts long text to wrap onto multiple lines inside a cell so it fits without overflowing into neighboring cells.
Borders: Adds visible lines around, inside, or between cells to define table structure.
Fill Color: Changes the background color of selected cells to emphasize key information or group columns.
FONT FORMATTING
Font Type: The style and family of the text (e.g., Arial, Roboto, Calibri).
Font Size: The scale of the text (larger sizes for main headers, standard size for table body).
Bold / Italic / Underline: Text decorations used to create visual hierarchy and highlight key labels.
Text Color: Changes the color of the characters inside the cell.
NUMBER FORMATTING
Currency ($): Formats values as monetary amounts with currency symbols and two decimal places.
Date Formats: Formats numeric entries into standardized calendar dates (MM/DD/YYYY or YYYY-MM-DD).
Percentage (%): Multiplies the cell value by 100 and appends a % sign.
Decimal Places: Increases or decreases the number of visible digits after the decimal point.
CLASS NOTES
Take notes and answer these questions in your notebook
Why is formatting important in a spreadsheet?
What does “merge cells” mean?
What is the difference between text format and number format?
How can color and borders help readers understand your data?