Google Sheets and Apps Script Blog Posts From Ben Collins

2025 In Review And A Look Forward To 2026

Welcome to my 2025 Annual Review, which marks my eleventh year of working for myself in this little corner of the internet. I guess that makes me something of a veteran in this online, creator space. (I certainly feel like a dinosaur next to all the kids half my age cranking out viral memes!).

As I say every year, I’m extremely grateful that I get to do what I do. I love the work and being my own boss is the best. Being able to choose what projects to work on and how to spend my time (on work, parenting, or fun) will never get old.

Overall though, 2025 was a bit of a strange and challenging year. A mix of highs and lows. Momentum one week. No momentum the next. Fit and healthy. Sick and tired. Two steps forward, one step back.

It’s naive to expect progress to always be linear—up and to the right—and this year proved so. Things didn’t pan out as I expected with my membership program, which was disappointing. But the new course I launched in October was the standout work highlight of the year and injected some fresh momentum back into my business.

So I feel content as we start this new year. I have a wonderful family, I’m in good health, I love where we live, and my work is still interesting. I’m excited, hopeful, and optimistic that 2026 will be a good year, better than 2025.

2025 Highlights

Evolution of Google Sheets: AI and Tables

The rise of AI continued through 2025 and firmly established itself in our Google Sheets workflows. From the Gemini sidebar to the dedicated AI function, AI is now available and useful in many scenarios.

Personally, I use the Gemini browser app for Apps Script coding and formulas, the Gemini sidebar for formulas, basic data analysis, and conditional formatting, and the AI function for any kind of text analysis.

My favorite demonstration of the power of these AI tools within our Sheets workflows is some variation of an automated response tool: data comes into our Sheet (e.g. from a Google Form), we use Tables (which I recommended highly) and the AI function to analyze it. Then we use Gemini to write the code to automate the process of responding via Gmail. This video shows the process in detail:

Looking forward to 2026, I expect we’ll see many more automated and AI-enhanced workflows like this, especially with Google Workspace Studio, announced late last year.

AI is lowering the barrier to entry for many folks and removing the “syntax hurdle” that trips up so many beginner coders. It’s incredible to have a front row seat to watch this happen.

Modern Google Sheets Course + Workshops

After taking a break from creating courses in 2024, I launched Modern Google Sheets in the fall of 2025. It’s designed to help you work faster, smarter, and more confidently with Google Sheets in the AI era.

I thoroughly enjoyed creating this course and teaching the live workshops.

The course launch was successful and the whole process, from the research through to the live workshops, was super rewarding. It’s got me fired up for more courses and teaching in 2026.

Google Sheets Tips Newsletter

I sent 42 newsletters this year, starting with issue 329 and finishing with issue 370.

It goes out to around 53,000 readers each week and about 21,000 folks open and read it. I’m still amazed that I get to share ideas with so many of you. Thank you for reading!

If you’re not a reader, why not sign up today?

If you’re interested in sponsoring an issue and getting your company in front of these professionals, you can find all the sponsorship details here.

Sheets Insiders Work

Although the Sheets Insiders membership closed at the one-year anniversary (see challenges below), I was proud of the community and work we did together during the year.

Highlights included:

1) the live workshops (especially the Apps Script series when we built an internal add-on)

2) geeking out on Google Sheets, especially the chart tool. It was interesting to see how far it can be pushed. Probably my favorite chart of the year was this Ikea chart that combined columns and areas, using sinusoidal math equations to get the curved effects.

3) I enjoyed experimenting with familiar functions for some of the weekly tutorials, such as this gradient sparkline with a text overlay (achieved with array literals):

Personal Highlights

Although 2025 did not have as many outdoor adventures as I’d hoped, there were some gems in there, including:

Sugarloaf bikepacking trip in March
Family trip to Charleston for my son’s science fair competition and a visit to the New River Gorge National Park on the way home
A 2-day backpack on a local section of the Appalachian Trail with my boys
Finishing the Harpers Ferry adventure race with my neighbor
A 32-mile day hike in the mountains from my doorstep
A wonderful vacation to the Massanutten mountains with Lexi, for a few days of epic hiking and kid-free relaxing
A cruise through Alaska’s Inside Passage with my wife’s family. The scenery and wildlife were spectacular (see the pic at the top of this post)!

And finally, I truly love the little town we live in. It’s a cute, historic mountain town with beautiful scenery, abundant history, and great recreational opportunities. I feel incredibly lucky to call this place home.

Harpers Ferry, WV — Mountains and rivers close to home ❤️

2025 Challenges

Membership Growth

I found it very challenging to grow the membership once the initial launch and Black Friday push were over.

I promoted it frequently in my newsletter, talked about the live workshops, mentioned it in my social media posts, but the numbers hardly budged.

Ultimately, I decided to shut the membership down at the end of the first year and shift my focus back to my bread-and-butter: teaching courses.

Viewed as a one-year project, the membership experiment was a moderate success. The revenue was comparable to a new course, the research was super interesting, and the teaching was extremely rewarding.

However, viewed as a long-term business shift from a course model to a subscription model, obviously it failed. But that’s ok. That’s what business is all about. Trying things and seeing what works.

I have a pretty good sense of why it didn’t work:

It wasn’t differentiated enough from the regular weekly newsletter, so people couldn’t see the value clearly enough.
Many successful memberships lean into the community, not content, as the unique value proposition. But I have always preferred content creation, solving problems, and teaching. I realized early on that I didn’t want to run an online community. Ergo, the course model is a better fit for me.
So many products are now subscription based (dishwasher tablets! all our media! meal kits!) that a lot of us (me included!) have subscription fatigue. I’m sure this was a factor.
I didn’t develop the content plan very strategically, so it was scattered across many different areas (Sheets, AI, Apps Script automation, Looker Studio). It would have been improved with a better content roadmap. And this is where a course is actually a better vehicle for delivery. A course covers a topic or tool in detail and the lessons build on each other. And the customer knows exactly what they’re getting.
Finally, for me personally, the weekly publishing cadence became a burden. I love writing my weekly newsletter so I thought the same approach would work well for the membership. But creating a detailed tutorial with video and/or live workshops every week was on a different scale. It was a lot of work and at times I felt like I was running on a hamster wheel.

Declining web traffic

Website traffic for 2025 from Fathom Analytics

Unsurprisingly, and like just about every other creator I’ve spoken to, organic traffic continues to decline year-on-year.

My website peaked in 2021 with around 2 million visitors and over 4 million page views.

And in 2025? Just under 1 million visitors and 1.3 million page views.

Unfortunately, I don’t see this trend reversing. Traditional long-form articles are in terminal decline. They’ll still exist and be useful as niche references, but they’ll never reach the scale of the pre-AI era.

Stalled newsletter growth

My newsletter growth has traditionally all come from organic traffic to the website, where visitors then signed up for my newsletter. With the declining traffic, this has led to a drop in newsletter signups.

There are still enough people signing up to mitigate the folks who naturally unsubscribe, so the newsletter audience is not shrinking. But it’s not really growing either. Something I need to address in 2026.

Personal Challenges

This year, I had a few sizable chunks of time on the sidelines due to health issues. One was elective—sinus surgery in March to improve my breathing—but others were definitely not. I had a bout of pneumonia that landed me in hospital in May. And, in general, my anxiety has been much worse this year than ever before. It crept up before the surgery and has never really gone away, sustained in part by what’s going on in the wider world.

Unfortunately, the pneumonia in May resulted in us missing our big trip of the year to visit my UK family. We had a wonderful trip planned to go hiking in the Austrian Alps with three generations of the Collins family. So it was particularly devastating to cancel this trip. It’s so hard to get everything lined up and our window for doing a trip like this is finite.

Again—and I write this every year—the other big challenge of the year was balancing parenting with the rest of life. My wife and I both run our own small businesses and share the parenting load. We’re also both fanatical about staying fit and healthy. But it’s ~~so tricky~~ impossible to balance these competing demands with our limited time and energy. We try though! 🙂

Looking Forward To 2026

Work Goals

I’m excited to work on some new courses again this year and continue teaching the Modern Google Sheets workshops.

I’m aiming to run at least 4 launches this year:

Q1: New course 1
Q2: relaunch the live workshops for Modern Google Sheets
Q3: New course 2
Q4: Black Friday and Modern Google Sheets live workshops

What are these new courses?

Well, the first one will focus on Gemini and building agents and AI automations for Google Workspace. It won’t be exclusively about Sheets.

And I have a few course ideas for later in the year, so we’ll see how things pan out and what makes the most sense.

Non-Work Goals

Visit my brother and his family in Australia and take a hiking/packrafting adventure trip together
Visit my family in the UK
Take the boys on more adventures
Hike the full 71-mile loop of the Massanutten Mountain Trail (it’s been on my list for years)
Learn how to fly fish (I tried it for the first time last year and would love to try again)
Build more of a local community to go on adventures

Thank You!

Thank you for your support on this journey.

A huge thank you if you read my newsletter or taken one of my online courses. I hope they’re helpful to you!

Best wishes for 2026!

Previous years

Custom Number Format Color Palette Reference Table

Reference table for custom number format color palette.

Also available as a Google Sheet.

Code	Name	Example	Hex	Red	Green	Blue
[color1]	black	1	#000000	0	0	0
[color2]	white	2	#FFFFFF	255	255	255
[color3]	red	3	#FF0000	255	0	0
[color4]	green	4	#00FF00	0	255	0
[color5]	blue	5	#0000FF	0	0	255
[color6]	yellow	6	#FFFF00	255	255	0
[color7]	magenta	7	#FF00FF	255	0	255
[color8]	cyan	8	#00FFFF	0	255	255
[color9]	[color9]	9	#800000	128	0	0
[color10]	[color10]	10	#008000	0	128	0
[color11]	[color11]	11	#000080	0	0	128
[color12]	[color12]	12	#808000	128	128	0
[color13]	[color13]	13	#800080	128	0	128
[color14]	[color14]	14	#008080	0	128	128
[color15]	[color15]	15	#C0C0C0	192	192	192
[color16]	[color16]	16	#808080	128	128	128
[color17]	[color17]	17	#9999FF	153	153	255
[color18]	[color18]	18	#993366	153	51	102
[color19]	[color19]	19	#FFFFCC	255	255	204
[color20]	[color20]	20	#CCFFFF	204	255	255
[color21]	[color21]	21	#660066	102	0	102
[color22]	[color22]	22	#FF8080	255	128	128
[color23]	[color23]	23	#0066CC	0	102	204
[color24]	[color24]	24	#CCCCFF	204	204	255
[color25]	[color25]	25	#000080	0	0	128
[color26]	[color26]	26	#FF00FF	255	0	255
[color27]	[color27]	27	#FFFF00	255	255	0
[color28]	[color28]	28	#00FFFF	0	255	255
[color29]	[color29]	29	#800080	128	0	128
[color30]	[color30]	30	#800000	128	0	0
[color31]	[color31]	31	#008080	0	128	128
[color32]	[color32]	32	#0000FF	0	0	255
[color33]	[color33]	33	#00CCFF	0	204	255
[color34]	[color34]	34	#CCFFFF	204	255	255
[color35]	[color35]	35	#CCFFCC	204	255	204
[color36]	[color36]	36	#FFFF99	255	255	153
[color37]	[color37]	37	#99CCFF	153	204	255
[color38]	[color38]	38	#FF99CC	255	153	204
[color39]	[color39]	39	#CC99FF	204	153	255
[color40]	[color40]	40	#FFCC99	255	204	153
[color41]	[color41]	41	#3366FF	51	102	255
[color42]	[color42]	42	#33CCCC	51	204	204
[color43]	[color43]	43	#99CC00	153	204	0
[color44]	[color44]	44	#FFCC00	255	204	0
[color45]	[color45]	45	#FF9900	255	153	0
[color46]	[color46]	46	#FF6600	255	102	0
[color47]	[color47]	47	#666699	102	102	153
[color48]	[color48]	48	#969696	150	150	150
[color49]	[color49]	49	#003366	0	51	102
[color50]	[color50]	50	#339966	51	153	102
[color51]	[color51]	51	#003300	0	51	0
[color52]	[color52]	52	#333300	51	51	0
[color53]	[color53]	53	#993300	153	51	0
[color54]	[color54]	54	#993366	153	51	102
[color55]	[color55]	55	#333399	51	51	153
[color56]	[color56]	56	#333333	51	51	51

An extremely detailed look into the origins of this color palette from its early Excel days can be found here.

Status Arrows in Google Sheets

Status arrows are little up or down symbols added to data that make it quick and easy to understand what’s happening. They’re a useful way to highlight changes in your data.

Consider the following sales data which has a % change column:

Google Sheets percent table

Now take a look at the same data with colors and arrows added to call out the % change column:

Google Sheets table

It’s significantly easier/quicker to read and absorb that information.

How to Add Status Arrows

Hidden in the Custom Number Format of Google Sheets is a conditional formatting option for setting different formats for numbers greater than 0, equal to 0, or less than zero. This can be used to show the up or down status arrows.

Step 1. Highlight the % column and go to the custom number formatting menu:

Step 2. Copy and paste this custom number format rule into the Custom number formats popup:

[color50]0% ▲;[color3]-0% ▼;[blue]0% ▬

Google Sheets custom number format

What you’re doing is specifying a number format for positive numbers first, then negative numbers and then zero values, each separated by a semi-colon.

The square brackets to specify the color you want e.g. [color50] for green. See the full list of colors here: Custom Number Format Color Palette Reference Table

The cells in the data are still numbers even though the status arrows are showing. The arrows are a visual layer on top of the number.

How to use the AI Function in Google Sheets (with 10 examples)

The AI Function in Google Sheets brings the power of Gemini AI directly into your cells.

It uses Gemini’s large language models (LLMs) to process the text prompts and return helpful responses. It’s akin to using a prompt in the chat window of Gemini, but with the convenience of being accessible in your Sheet.

And it’s as easy to use as any other formula!

Who has access to the AI Function?

The AI Function is available to people on the following Google Workspace plans:

Business Standard and Plus
Enterprise Standard and Plus
Customers with the Gemini Education or Gemini Education Premium add-on
Google AI Pro and Ultra

Anyone who previously purchased these legacy add-ons will also have access to the AI function:

Gemini Business
Gemini Enterprise

Additionally, it’s available to users enrolled in the Google Workspace Labs program.

☠️ Note: If you don’t have access to the function, you can achieve any of these results by copy-pasting data into Gemini (or ChatGPT or Claude) and running the prompt there. And then you can paste the results back into your Sheet. Obviously, it’s not as convenient!

How to use the AI Function

The AI function is simple to use and has the following form:

=AI( "prompt" , [optional range] )

It takes two arguments:

the prompt, which is a description of the action you want the function to perform, enclosed in double quotes, and
an optional range, which is a reference to a single cell or range containing information that provides extra context to the AI function.

The AI function is most useful for working with text. There are four broad actions that it can perform:

Sentiment analysis
Summarizing text
Categorizing text
Generating text

Example 1: Sentiment Analysis with the AI Function

AI function to perform sentiment analysis in Google Sheets

Suppose you manage an AirBnb and you have a Google Sheet containing reviews. You can use the AI function to analyze the sentiment of these reviews to identify positive and negative reviews.

Use this prompt:

Categorize sentiment as positive, negative, or neutral

inside the AI function as follows:

=AI( "Categorize sentiment as positive, negative, or neutral" , D6 )

where the cell D6 contains the review.

Alternatively, we can include the reference to cell D6 directly in the prompt argument by concatenation:

=AI( "Categorize sentiment of the review in " & D6 & "as positive, negative, or neutral" )

In this case, we don’t specify the option range argument.

Perhaps the only benefit of this second approach is that it lets you reference non-contiguous ranges, i.e. multiple cells in different parts of your Sheet.

For example, this text generation AI formula references cells in column B and D (i.e. non-adjacent), which wouldn’t be possible with a single range argument:

Using cell references inside the AI function

But if you are using a single cell or range, it’s easier to include it as the second argument of the AI function.

Example 2: Sentiment Analysis as a Rating Chip

An alternative way to show sentiment analysis is to ask the AI function to output a rating between 1 and 5 and then format the cells as Rating chips.

The AI formula is:

=AI( "Rate the feedback in this review between 1 and 5, with 1 being the worst score and 5 being the best score" , D6 )

This gives an output between 1 and 5 (technically, 0 to 5 would also work).

Then highlight the cells with the rating numbers and change them to Rating chips via the menu:

Insert > Smart chips > Rating

Alternatively, if your data is in a Table, you can change the column type to a Rating chip under the column menu:

Edit column type > Smart chips > Rating

Example 3: Summarize Text

With the review text in cell D6, we can use this formula to summarize the text:

=AI( "write a summary of the user's feedback in under 10 words" , D6 )

Example 4: Categorize Text

Suppose we have a list of products that we need to categorize into groups. It’s a hugely time consuming task.

The AI function can dramatically speed that process up.

With the data in column B, we can use a formula like this to categorize the products:

=AI( "categorize the product into one of these consumer electronics categories: Audio,Home Entertainment,Mobile Device,Wearable,Home Appliance,Gaming,Smart Home,Computing,Photography,Kitchen Appliance,Drones,Mobile Accessory" , B7 )

Example 5: Generate Text

Generate marketing copy in Google Sheets with AI formulas

In this example, we use the AI formula to generate marketing copy for products on Instagram. We tell Gemini to add emojis and hashtags in the output.

Note also that because the product name is in column B and the key features are in column D, we need to insert the references into the prompt:

=AI( "Generate a short less than 20-word description for instagram for this product " & B6 & " with these features " & D6 & ". Make it funny, and include emojis and add relevant hashtags" )

This just inserts the value from cells B6 and D6 into the text string prompt before the AI formula runs it.

Example 6: Generate Email Drafts

We use a longer, ultra-specific prompt to ensure the emails are formatted exactly as we want them.

And the formula references data in the range B6 to G6 (i.e. the whole Table row) for context:

=AI( "Write a professional email to the parent or guardian of this student, summarizing their academic performance and classroom behavior.
The email should be written from me, Ben Collins. I am their teacher.
Start each email with a subject line formatted exactly as:
Subject: Name of Student’s Progress Repor
For example: Subject: John Smith’s Progress Report.
The tone should be warm, supportive, and informative—highlight both strengths and areas for improvement.
Avoid overly technical language, and keep the email clear and easy to understand.",B6:G6)

This is part of a YouTube tutorial on turning Google Sheets data into Gmail drafts, with the AI Function and Apps Script.

Example 7: Explaining Formulas

At the time of writing (August 2025), the AI function cannot be nested inside other functions, or vice versa.

To combine it with other functions, we have to create helper columns that output intermediate steps.

So before we can explain that complex formula in cell A1, we have to use the FORMULATEXT function to turn it into text:

The formula is:

=FORMULATEXT(A1)

Then we can use the AI function to explain that text version of the formula:

Explain formulas with the AI function in Google Sheets

The AI formula is:

=AI("explain what this formula does and how it works",C1)

Example 8: Categorize Stock Tickers

We can use the AI function to categorize stock tickers into industry categories:

Categorize stock tickers with the AI function in Google Sheets

The formula is:

=AI("show me the sector of the stock with this ticker", stockTickers[Ticker])

where the stock tickers are in a Table called “stockTickers”.

Example 9: Parse Addresses to Extract Data

The AI function is a huge help at parsing messy addresses and extracting the component parts:

Parse addresses with the AI function in Google Sheets

The formulas for these columns are:

=AI("show me the street address only from this address",A2)

=AI("show me the town only from this address",A2)

=AI("show me the postcode only from this address",A2)

Example 10: Unpivot Data

For a final example, here it is helping to UNPIVOT data, which is turning wide data into tall data format. It’s notoriously difficult to do with regular formulas.

However, if you can handle complex formulas, the old-school, deterministic method is still more convenient since we can’t nest the AI function inside other functions yet.

But for reference, here’s how we can create an AI formula to unpivot data.

First, we unpivot data with AI:

Unpivot data with the AI function in Google Sheets

The formula is:

=AI("can you unpivot the data",A1:E4)

Then we use regular functions to parse into rows:

The formula is:

=ArrayFormula(SPLIT(TRANSPOSE(SPLIT(G1,CHAR(10))),"|"))

What the AI Function CANNOT do

1) it cannot perform calculations like regular functions. If you try, you’ll get an error message:

With all the hype around AI at the moment, it’s tempting to apply it to everything we do.

So it’s good to step back and ask yourself if you really need an AI function. Most spreadsheets tasks that involve data will still be in the domain of regular, deterministic functions, like SUM, AVERAGE, FILTER, etc.

So don’t fall into the trap of trying to apply AI to everything!

2) it cannot be nested inside other functions.

If you try to nest the AI function, for example inside an IF function as shown here, you’ll get an error message:

3) the AI function has limits to how much it can generate in a 24-hour window. If you hit the limit, you won’t be able to click the “Generate” button until 24 hours has passed.

4) if you select multiple cells with AI functions and click to generate outputs, only the first 200 cells will be generated. Once the first batch of 200 is complete, you can generate the next batch of 200 cells, and onwards.

5) if you access Sheets through other cloud storage providers (e.g. Dropbox, Box, etc.) then you can’t generate content with the AI function.

6) The AI function cannot generate other functions, pivot tables, or charts.

AI Function Template

Download the Complete Guide to the AI Function Template

Click on “Use Template” in the top right corner to make your own copy.

There is no Apps Script with this template.

Additional prompt examples in the Google documentation.

11 Incredibly Useful URL Tricks for Google Sheets

Did you know that by changing the URL of a Google Sheet we can change how it behaves?

In this post, we look at 11 incredibly useful URL Tricks for Google Sheets.

For example, we can create a URL that automatically downloads the Sheet as a PDF. Or create a template ready for copying. And much more.

URL Tricks for Google Sheets

Take a look at any Google Sheets URL in the address bar of your browser.

It will take the following form:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ + file ID + / extension

We can change the /extension at the end of the URL to ensure a different action happens when a user uses that URL.

Feel free to click on any of the links below to see how they work. They are all linked to the following template, which you can copy for your own reference (bonus points if you use the correct URL trick to do that).

1. Standard Sharing Link Format

This is the default sharing link for Google Sheets. Users with appropriate permissions can view or edit the sheet.

Advantages: Provides direct access to the Sheet with full functionality.
Limitations: If set to “Anyone with the link can edit,” any users can make changes.
Best For: Team collaboration when you want users to view or edit the Sheet.

Extension Format:
/edit?usp=sharing

Example link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1h8kgPdJx8myJP_C_8WRfs4x6Uqqg2E7s5YdTpJDbcUM/edit?usp=sharing

2. Preview

Opens the spreadsheet in a read-only format without showing the editing toolbar.

Advantages: Cleaner presentation without distractions from menus and tools.
Limitations: Users cannot edit or copy directly from this view.
Best For: Great for sharing data in a presentation format when you don’t want users to make edits.

Extension Format:
/preview

Example link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1h8kgPdJx8myJP_C_8WRfs4x6Uqqg2E7s5YdTpJDbcUM/preview

3. HTML View

Converts the sheet into a basic HTML page.

Advantages: Loads faster and is accessible without needing Google Sheets’ interface.
Limitations: Some formatting and interactive features may not function properly.
Best For: Useful for reports since it eliminates sheet controls but allows you to still navigate between tabs.

Extension Format:
/htmlview

Example link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1h8kgPdJx8myJP_C_8WRfs4x6Uqqg2E7s5YdTpJDbcUM/htmlview

4. Template

Opens a “Use Template” preview, allowing users to see and create their own copy of the file.

Advantages: Prevents accidental changes to the original document while ensuring consistency across copies.
Limitations: Users must have permission to access the original file.
Best For: Ideal for distributing Google Sheets to wider audiences so they can create their own copies.

Extension Format:
/template/preview

Example link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1h8kgPdJx8myJP_C_8WRfs4x6Uqqg2E7s5YdTpJDbcUM/template/preview

5. Make a Copy

Prompts users to create their own editable copy of the spreadsheet.

Advantages: Ensures the original file remains unchanged and user makes a copy.
Limitations: Requires users to be signed into Google to create a copy.
Best For: Useful for ensuring users make a copy of a Google Sheet.

Extension Format:
/copy

Example link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1h8kgPdJx8myJP_C_8WRfs4x6Uqqg2E7s5YdTpJDbcUM/copy

6. Export as a PDF

Generates a downloadable PDF version of the spreadsheet.

Advantages: PDF format ensures consistency across devices and prevents edits.
Limitations: Not interactive, not all features will display correctly; updates to the sheet require generating a new PDF.
Best For: Perfect for distributing static reports, tables, invoices, or finalized documents.

Extension Format:
/export?format=pdf

Example link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1h8kgPdJx8myJP_C_8WRfs4x6Uqqg2E7s5YdTpJDbcUM/export?format=pdf

7. Export as a CSV

Provides a downloadable CSV version of the sheet, exporting only the active tab.

Advantages: Downloads your data in a universal format compatible with most data processing tools.
Limitations: Loses formatting, formulas, interactive elements, and multiple sheet structures.
Best For: Great for exporting data tables for analysis in other software, such as databases or coding environments.

Extension Format:
/export?format=csv

Example link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1h8kgPdJx8myJP_C_8WRfs4x6Uqqg2E7s5YdTpJDbcUM/export?format=csv

8. Export as an Excel Document

Downloads the spreadsheet as an Excel (.xlsx) file.

Advantages: Retains formulas, formatting, and multiple sheets.
Limitations: Some Google Sheets-specific features (like QUERY function or Google Apps Script) may not work in Excel.
Best For: Best for sharing Sheets with users who prefer or require Excel.

Extension Format:
/export?format=xlsx

Example link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1h8kgPdJx8myJP_C_8WRfs4x6Uqqg2E7s5YdTpJDbcUM/export?format=xlsx

9. Distraction Free Editor

Opens the sheet in a minimalistic mode with no toolbars or menus.

Advantages: Reduces clutter and distractions for focused editing.
Limitations: Some editing options may not be accessible.
Best For: Useful for presenting data cleanly or working in a distraction-free environment.

Extension Format:
/view?rm=minimal

Example link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1h8kgPdJx8myJP_C_8WRfs4x6Uqqg2E7s5YdTpJDbcUM/view?rm=minimal

(Because I shared a view-only copy, you won’t be able to do any editing. Share with editor rights if you want to use this feature.)

10. Basic Controls Editor

Opens the sheet in a limited interface with only essential tools.

Advantages: Allows basic editing without overwhelming users.
Limitations: Lacks full editing capabilities.
Best For: Ideal for users who need to make small modifications but don’t require full spreadsheet features.

Extension Format:
/view?rm=demo

Example link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1h8kgPdJx8myJP_C_8WRfs4x6Uqqg2E7s5YdTpJDbcUM/view?rm=demo

11. Embed in Iframe

Embeds the spreadsheet in a webpage without extra Google Sheets UI elements.

Advantages: Provides a seamless way to display live data in a website or online dashboard.
Limitations: Users cannot interact fully unless given editing access.
Best For: Great for embedding spreadsheets in blogs, dashboards, or reports where live data needs to be displayed.

Extension Format:
/view?rm=embedded

Example link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1h8kgPdJx8myJP_C_8WRfs4x6Uqqg2E7s5YdTpJDbcUM/view?rm=embedded