Use Google Sheets Shortcuts to Optimize Your Workflow in 2023

If I want to copy only the values returned by a formula in a cell, I need to do the following:

• Right-click on the cell with the formula and select Copy. 
• Right-click on the target cell and select Paste special. 
• Pick Paste values only on the sub-menu. 

Alternatively, I can press Ctrl(or ⌘ for Mac)+c to copy and Ctrl(⌘)+Shift+v to paste values only. The alternative option is much faster since it’s implemented using Google Sheets shortcuts. They let you do a lot of manipulations in your spreadsheet without any mouse clicks. Read on to learn everything about these hotkeys to become a Google Sheets expert!

What are keyboard shortcuts for Google Sheets?

Google Sheets shortcuts are combinations of keys on the keyboard that let you perform specific spreadsheet tasks (navigate, edit, etc.) quickly. Everyone knows the basic shortcuts, such as Ctrl(⌘)+c to copy, Ctrl(⌘)+v to paste, Ctrl(⌘)+z to undo, and so on. Those work in Google Sheets as well. At the same time, there are plenty of others, which you can explore by pressing Ctrl(⌘)+/. This is the major hotkey that unfolds all the others you can use. 

What are the compatible spreadsheet shortcuts and how do you enable them?

The compatible spreadsheet shortcuts are keyboard shortcuts used in another well known spreadsheet program – Microsoft Excel. If you enable them, you’ll get 134 additional shortcuts to streamline your workflow. 

Note: Compatible spreadsheet shortcuts do not function on Mac.

Some of the compatible shortcuts duplicate the common hotkeys. For example, to paste values only, you can use a common shortcut Ctrl+Shift+v, as well as a compatible one – Alt+h,v,v.

Others are unique. For example, you can paste transposed only with compatible shortcuts – Alt+h,v,t or Alt+e,s,e.

To enable the compatible spreadsheet shortcuts, press Ctrl+/ and toggle them on.

Shortcuts on PC, Mac, and Chrome OS 

To select a column, you need to press Ctrl+Space, and this shortcut works for PC, Mac, and Chrome OS. However, some shortcuts may differ a bit depending on the device you are using.

Mac users mostly need to replace the Ctrl key with Command (⌘), as well as Alt with Option (⌥), but it’s not a one-size-fits-all method. For example, it works for the Insert time shortcut: 

For PC: Ctrl+Shift+; 

For Mac: ⌘+Shift+;

But to Format as time, you can use the PC shortcut on your Mac without any changes:

Ctrl+Shift+2

Check out this spreadsheet with a detailed list of shortcuts for PC, Mac, and Chrome OS in one table. 

Spreadsheet shortcuts on Android and iPhone/iPad 

If you connect an external keyboard to your Android or iOS device, you’ll also be able to use a limited number of Google Sheets hotkeys (how many may depend on the keyboard and language you use). Check out the Google Support page for details.

Google Sheets shortcuts by category

Now, let’s have a look at what exactly you can do in your spreadsheet with a mouse unplugged or touchpad off.

Review and select commands shortcuts

Copy and paste commands shortcuts

Edit commands shortcuts

Sheet commands shortcuts

Menus access shortcuts

Note: Menus access shortcuts work only if compatible spreadsheet shortcuts are disabled.

View commands shortcuts

Data commands shortcuts

Formatting commands shortcuts

Navigation commands shortcuts

Number format shortcuts

File commands shortcuts

Function commands shortcuts

Grouping commands shortcuts

Screen reader support shortcuts

Real-life use case: building a sales monitor with keyboard shortcuts only 

Now we suggest you practice your shortcut skills. In the blog post How to Build Sales Tracker with Google Sheets, we’ve tailored an interactive sales monitor stuffed with numerous formulas, charts, data validation and other features. Let’s iterate some of the flow but with one requirement: your mouse will be unplugged or touchpad will be off. You’ll have your keyboard only to handle the challenge! 

Step 1: Importing the raw data

The sales monitor will be powered by the data from Pipedrive, so let’s import it into Google Sheets first. For this, you’ll need to install Coupler.io, a GSheets add-on, and set up a Pipedrive importer. 

Open a new spreadsheet

We’re on the spreadsheet with Google Sheets shortcuts descriptions. Let’s create a new one for the sales dashboard.

• Press Ctrl+/ and use Tab to select Enable compatible spreadsheet shortcuts.
• Once selected, press Space to toggle on compatible shortcuts and Esc to leave the window.
• Now, press Alt+f,n, and voila – a new spreadsheet has been created.

Rename the new spreadsheet

To access menus, we’ll need to disable the compatible spreadsheet shortcuts for a while. Press Ctrl+/ and use Tab to select Enable compatible spreadsheet shortcuts. Once selected, press Space to toggle them off and Esc to leave the shortcut window. 

Press Alt+Shift+f to open the File menu and select Rename to specify the name of the new spreadsheet – for example, Sales monitor. Here is a link to it.

Install Coupler.io

Coupler.io is a tool that lets you integrate different apps and data sources with Google Sheets. Check out the available integrations. 

Usually, you can install Coupler.io from the G Suite Marketplace via this direct link. But, since we’re using the keyboard only, let’s install the add-on right from the spreadsheet.

Press Alt+Shift+n to open the Add-ons menu and select Get add-ons. Use Tab to select the search bar and find Coupler.io. A few more manipulations with Tab and Enter and you’ll see the add-on on your spreadsheet (it’s also available in the Add-ons menu). 

Friendly note: it’s quite inconvenient to install add-ons using the keyboard only, so we recommend you do this with your mouse or touchpad 🙂 

Set up a Pipedrive importer

We won’t stumble on how to set up a Pipedrive importer. The flow has been described in Export Data from Pipedrive to Google Sheets. You can also refer to the knowledge base for details. The main point is that you need to connect Coupler.io to your Pipedrive account and specify the data entity (Deals, Persons, or Organizations) you’re going to import. Besides, you can enable the automatic data refresh. This function imports data automatically on a set schedule!

Use Tab, Space and Enter buttons to set up the Pipedrive importer without a mouse or touchpad. It’s not very comfortable, but this is the challenge! 

Run the importer when ready and welcome your data. For our sales monitor, we’ve imported Pipedrive deals.

Step 2: Building the sales dashboard using Google Sheets shortcuts

Create a new sheet for the dashboard

With the raw data in your spreadsheet, we can get to calculations. Let’s enable the compatible shortcuts (Ctrl+/=>Tab (three times)=>Space =>Esc) and jump to the sheet where the dashboard will be. Press  Ctrl+Shift+PageDown or Ctrl+Shift+PageUp to navigate between your sheets. 

Then press Alt+Shift+s to enter the Sheets menu. Choose Rename and type in the name you like. We picked “Dashboard”. 

Calculations

We’re going to make a table consisting of three columns: Country Name, Conversion Rate and Total Revenue:

• Country Name – select a cell (A1) and type in the following formula:

={"Country name"; UNIQUE(Deals!Z2:Z)}

It will filter out all countries from your Pipedrive deals and attach the name to the column automatically.

• Conversion Rate – select the B1 cell and type in the column name: “Conversion Rate”. Select the B2 cell and apply the following formula:

=COUNTIF(
 Filter(Deals!$AL$2:$AL,Deals!$Z$2:$Z=A2),"won")/
COUNTA(
 Filter(Deals!$AL$2:$AL,Deals!$Z$2:$Z=A2)
 )

Now, select the B2 cell, hold Shift and select the cells down to the end of countries list. Then press Ctrl+d and the formulas will be applied to the rest of countries. 

• Total Revenue – do the same trick for Total Revenue with the following formula:

=SUM(
 Filter(Deals!$AF$2:$AF,Deals!$Z$2:$Z=A2,Deals!$AL$2:$AL="won")
 )

Number format 

We want the Conversion Rate to be shown in percent and the Total Revenue in US dollars. Here are the shortcuts meant to help with that:

• Select the B2 cell and press Ctrl+Shift+ArrowDown. This will select the data range to the end. Now press Ctrl+Shift+5 to apply the Percent format to the range. 
• Select the C2 cell and press Ctrl+Shift+ArrowDown to select the data range. Press Alt+o,n,c or Ctrl+Shift+4 to apply the Currency format to the range. 

Formatting the table

Now, let’s make our table look dainty. Select the A1 cell and press Ctrl+Shift+ArrowRight to select the cells with column names. Now, press Ctrb+b to make them Bold.

Press Ctrl+Shift+ArrowDown to select the entire table and then press Alt+h,b,a to apply borders. 

Inserting a chart

We’re ready to insert a chart based on our table. For this, select any cell within the table range and press Ctrl+a to select all. Then press Alt+F1 (alternative shortcuts, Alt+n,k and Alt+i,h) to insert a chart. The shortcut worked and we’ve got the chart, but…

The only way to access the Chart editor was to press Fn+MenuKey. However, not all keyboards have this key and we failed to find another way to access the Chart editor. If you know it, please write in the comments.

To wrap up

We completed the challenge. Now we know that you should not reject pointing devices (mouse or touchpad) for complex tasks in spreadsheets. Some features like Chart Editor or Conditional Formatting are designed for click-based activities. From our experience, it was a pain to edit the chart with the keyboard only. As for the Google Sheets shortcuts, they can significantly speed up your workflow. However, for this, you need to keep specific hotkeys in your memory so you can apply them when necessary. We hope that our blog post will help you with that and Coupler.io will help you automate data import for your project. Good luck with your data!