18 best practices for working with data in Google Sheets

This article outlines 18 best practices for working with data in Google Sheets.

Use these practices to make your work more efficient, reduce errors, make your work easier to follow and understand, and add value to the workflow process.

Best practices:

• Organize your data.
• Keep a backup copy of your data.
• Document the steps you take.
• Go with wide-format data tables.
• Use good, consistent names.
• Use data validation for data entry.
• Even better, use Google Forms for data entry.
• One cell = one piece of information.
• Distinguish columns you add.
• Don't use formatting to convey data.
• Add an index column for sorting & referencing.
• Format the header row.
• Freeze the header row.
• Turn formulas into static values after use.
• Keep copies of your formulas.
• Create named ranges for your datasets.
• Avoid merged cells.
• Tell the story of one row.