Hi Reader,

Welcome to Future Proof (formerly the Google Sheets Tips newsletter), your Monday morning espresso, in spreadsheet AI form!

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.

Just one clear, practical lesson each week that makes you meaningfully better at using these 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 you can use 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.

If you've been reading since the Sheets days — thank you. I hope this feels like a natural next chapter rather than a sharp left turn.

If you have any comments, hit reply. I read every one.

Oh, and by the way, the archive of all previous tips is available here. The new ones will appear in here too, and they'll always be available.

Ok, I think that's enough waffling. Let's jump in to this new newsletter.

→ News

1.
​Google published 6 example mini apps you can build with the new Gemini-powered Sheets Canvas tool.

​Here's my take on the tool to build a Kanban Board.

2.
​Five new agentic capabilities across Google Workspace apps. These should reduce the need to jump between apps to complete a task. For example, one of the new agents lets you draft and send emails directly from inside Google Docs.

3.
​Using AI to dramatically improve software productivity. There are some real gems in this article about how one software team dramatically improved their productivity using AI. And spoiler alert, it wasn't only because the AI cranked code faster...

→ Future Proof #1: Stop Repeating Yourself. Instead Build a Customized Expert

If you find yourself copying and pasting the same background context, templates, or instructions into an AI prompt every week, you are wasting time.

Instead, build yourself a Custom Expert.

All the big three AI tools (Gemini, Claude, and ChatGPT) allow you to create custom versions of their tools with specific saved instructions and background knowledge.

💎 In Gemini, these custom experts are called Gems, and we'll build one together here.

In ChatGPT, the equivalent feature are Custom GPTs.

In Claude, they're called Claude Projects.

When you want to use one of these Custom Experts, you just drop in your new data and/or prompt and off you go.

I've used Gems to generate marketing copy based on my style guidelines, detailed specifications for vibe coding projects, as a QA reviewer of lesson plans for my courses, weekly synthesizing of information from different sources, and much more. Anytime you find yourself writing out the same instructions in Gemini, turn it into a Gem.

Here's how 👇

How To Build A Gem

In Gemini, click on "Gems" in the sidebar to open the Gem builder:

Build your Gem as follows:

1. Name Your Expert: Give it a clear role (e.g., "Weekly Client Report Generator") and description.
2. Set the Rules: Tell it exactly how to behave. Define its tone, target audience, and formatting rules.
3. Upload the Context: Attach your standard templates, past successful examples, or background data files.

For example, here's a Gem that turns rough ideas into polished product drafts:

Notice the "Knowledge" option at the bottom. In this example, it's not used. But this is where you can attach files from your Google Drive or upload external files as background documents that are always available.

When you're done, press "Save" to complete your Gem.

How To Use A Gem

Next time you need to create that marketing copy or business report, you don't need to explain all your specific rules again.

Instead, open your Gem and simply type "Build a new report for client X this week with this data". Paste in the new data or attach a file, and press submit.

And voila! The Gem will get to work.

Advanced Use Cases for Gems

Gems can be used anywhere you use the Gemini panel, for example the Gemini sidebar of your Google Sheet or even the Gemini sidebar of the Apps Script IDE.

Suppose you have custom instructions for creating a business report based on data in a Sheet. Run the Gem from inside your Google Sheet so it has direct access to your data.

Action Item

Look at your chat history.

Find the one prompt or task you ran more than twice this week, and turn it into a Custom Expert.

Thanks for reading and have a great week ahead!

Cheers,
Ben

P.S. Like the new format? Let me know what you think!