14th September 2026
Last week I sent my 400th and final Google Sheets Tips newsletter.
The end of an era.
I sent the first newsletter in April 2018, eight and a half years ago.
I think this is where I’m supposed to write something profound and wax lyrical about how life-changing it’s all been.
But I’ve always found that sort of writing difficult (like writing a condolence card) so I’m not going to get too introspective in this post.
There are a few things I want to say though:
Thank You
→ First off, thank you if you were a reader of the Google Sheets Tips!
I hope you found the content valuable and enjoyed reading the issues as much as I did writing them. I appreciated everyone who replied and enjoyed conversing with thousands of you over the years.
→ Secondly, I’m still sending a weekly tech tutorial, now called Future Proof. The topic and format has evolved to stay relevant. More on that below.
→ Thirdly, on a personal level, ending the Google Sheets Tips series is a bittersweet moment.
Of course, part of me is sad. Change is inevitable in life though, and no matter how much we prepare for it, when it does arrive, it still seems to catch us off guard. Emotionally at least.
But I’m ready and excited for the next chapter and writing about different topics.
I started sending these weekly newsletters in April 2018 on the advice of a business coach, who suggested it would help me connect with my audience on a regular basis. I didn’t have a master plan, only a plan to share a valuable tip each week. It grew from that simple premise into a readership of over 50,000 and become the backbone of my whole business. I’m eternally grateful for that simple bit of advice.
Today I want to celebrate 400 issues of the Google Sheets Tips newsletter, starting with how it all began, before I share what’s coming next.
History
📌 The first issue — about keyboard shortcuts — was sent on 30 April 2018 to 2,357 readers. That means I’ve been sending this newsletter for over 8 years. Yikes! (Huge shout-out to anyone who’s been here since the beginning.)
📌 The newsletter began life as the “Monday Tips” newsletter, only becoming the “Google Sheets Tips” newsletter with issue 33 on January 7th, 2019.
📌 Readership grew steadily for years, from inception to the end of 2024, but has plateaued since then:
Popular Issues
📌 Sheets tip 257: I’ve lost count how many times I’ve used this formula…
A simple IF and a complex SCAN formulas to number groups like 1,2,3,1,2,3,1,2,3,…
📌 Sheets Tip 241: A Chart Makeover
Techniques for better charts in Google Sheets.
📌 Sheets Tip 238: Help your colleagues and clients with a Front Sheet
Shares strategies for making spreadsheets more user-friendly for clients.
Ben’s Personal Favorites
Some of my personal favorites to write:
📌 Google Sheets Tip 75: A FACT to blow your mind
Using the FACT function to explore that a shuffled deck of cards is unique, and using the CHAR function to create decks of cards in Sheets.
📌 Sheets Tip 184: CHICKEN and EGG finally solved!
Demonstrates a sorting technique inspired by the ‘chicken and egg’ problem.
📌Is Formula Writing Dead? (And why we shouldn’t mourn it) (Tip #377)
Essay on writing formulas with Gemini instead of manually.
Archive
The archive of all 400 tips is available here.
What’s next…
I published the first Google Sheets Tips newsletter in April 2018, a lifetime ago in technology terms.
The mission was simple: one practical, actionable lesson each week to help you work more effectively. That mission hasn’t changed.
Lately though, more and more of you are turning to AI to get things done.
And if you’re anything like me, you’re finding that knowing how to use those tools effectively is its own skill.
And that’s what I want to help you with going forward.
The Google Sheets Tips email is becoming Future Proof:
Just one clear, practical lesson each week that makes you meaningfully better at using these AI tools in your actual work.
A few things worth knowing about what’s changing:
⭐ The name is now Future Proof, reflecting the shift from Sheets-specific tips to broader AI skills, regardless of which tool you’re using.
⭐ Each issue will have two sections: one actionable AI tip you can apply immediately, and a short roundup of relevant AI news for professionals on the Google platform.
⭐ I may extend the lens beyond the Google ecosystem when it makes sense, to include Claude, ChatGPT, or other tools.
⭐ Finally, rest assured I will still keep a keen eye on Google Sheets and continue to share updates and tips whenever relevant. The majority of Google Sheets updates these days are AI powered, which certainly fit under the umbrella of this new newsletter.
Thanks for reading and cheers to the next 400! 🎉
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