Spreadsheets and presentations

Sheets

Open Sheets. Like Docs, you can start a Blank spreadsheet or import a CSV file with Import .csv. You can also use Drive, New, Spreadsheet. Give it a name in the Spreadsheet title box.

Sheets works like the spreadsheets you know: cells, rows and columns, several tabs in one workbook, and formulas. Start a formula with = (for example =SUM(B2:B10) or =AVERAGE(C2:C20)) and the cell shows the result.

One editor or many

Depending on how your workspace is set up, a spreadsheet is either edited live by everyone at once, with each person's selection outlined in a colour, or it has one editor at a time. In the second case, a View only label shows to everyone else, with a line like "Name is editing, you see their changes as they save". Choose Edit to take your turn and Done editing when you have finished, which saves and lets someone else edit. If someone leaves, you can take over.

Import and export

The file menu has Import .csv (while you are editing) and Download as CSV. Excel (.xlsx) import and export are not available in Sheets itself; use CSV, or convert Excel files in the PDF tools.

Share and restore

Use Share as in Drive, and Version history to see and restore earlier saved versions.

Tip: Keep raw data on one tab and summaries on another, so a formula typo cannot damage your source data.

Slides

Open Slides. Start a blank presentation or browse templates with Browse templates. You can also save your own deck as a template with Save as template. Name the deck in the Presentation name box.

Build slides

The slide panel on the left shows thumbnails. Choose New slide to add one, and use Duplicate slide or Delete slide on a thumbnail. On the canvas you can:

• Insert a text box, Insert a table, a picture (you can also paste a picture or drop it on the slide), a Shape or a Chart.
• Format text with font, size, bold, italic, underline, bullets and numbering.
• Use Arrange options such as Bring to front and Send to back.
• Open Theme and page setup to choose a Theme, colours, fonts and Slide size.
• Set a Deck background.
• Add Alternative text (for screen readers) to images.

Charts have a Data area, a Kind (for example bars, lines or doughnut), and options such as Legend, Gridlines and Data labels.

Speaker notes

Use Speaker notes under a slide for what you will say. They show in presenter view, not to the audience.

Present

Choose Present to run the show full screen. Move with the arrow keys or by clicking, press B to blank the screen and Esc to leave. Slides marked Hide this slide when presenting are skipped. The presenter view shows notes and a timer with Restart the timer.

Note: If a deck says it was saved by a newer version of PGB Slides, reload the page before editing.

Practice

1. Create a spreadsheet with a small expense list and a =SUM total. Download it as CSV.
2. Create a deck with a title slide, a chart slide and a closing slide.
3. Add speaker notes to the chart slide and run Present.