Hi Reader,

Welcome to the Google Sheets Tips newsletter #238!

We're making the most of a relatively mild January here in West Virginia. Although I'm still hoping for some snow, I have enjoyed more bike rides and outdoors time with my kids this year.

Hope you're enjoying 2023 so far, wherever you're based!

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➜ Google Sheets Tip #238: Use a Front Sheet to make your Sheets more professional and help your users

Here is your Google Sheets tip, which you can think of as your Monday morning espresso, in spreadsheet form.

Ten years ago, I worked as a forensic accountant. I remember sitting in the client's office in Munich, Germany, reviewing spreadsheets. These spreadsheets came from another consulting firm also working on the project. I can't remember anything about the data inside, but I do remember how well-presented they were.

Each spreadsheet had a Front Sheet. A sheet that summarized what was inside the spreadsheet, who created it, what it was for, etc. They were adorned with the firm's branding too.

I was impressed. My boss was impressed.

It felt professional and gave us more confidence working with them.

The lesson I took away was that the Front Sheet made a big difference to my impression of the spreadsheet. It was super helpful.

Front Sheet

A Front Sheet is an extra sheet you insert into your spreadsheet, as the first tab.

It serves to:

• Document your project for you and others
• Help explain the spreadsheet when you open in the future
• Record who created the spreadsheet and for what purpose
• Explain what formulas are used and how they work
• Help build an audit trail, in case your spreadsheets ever come under scrutiny

Let me show you a couple of examples, from my recent work.

Firstly, here's a simple Front Sheet, similar to the one I add to the free templates on my website:

And secondly, here's a more complex Front Sheet that was part of my Pro Sheet course:

Here, each tab of the spreadsheet is hyperlinked for easy navigation, and I added a checklist of issues to track progress, and a summary of the formulas to help users understand.

How To Create A Front Sheet

It's easy to create a simple Front Sheet.

To set one up, add a new sheet to your spreadsheet.

Add a title and a short description. Add a list of useful resources. Or folks who contributed to making the spreadsheet. Or whatever you want.

Start simple and add as much or as little visual styling as you want.

Once you have a style you're happy with, you can templatize it. Then you can copy it into future spreadsheets so you don't have to create it from scratch each time.

Need a helping hand? Feel free to use this template as a jumping off point 👇

Front Sheet Template

​Click here to open the Front Sheet template​

Feel free to copy this sheet: File > Make a copy

I've set my file sharings to allow anyone with the link to view this file. You may not be able to open this file because it's from an outside organization, and my Google Workspace domain is not whitelisted at your organization. You may be able to ask your Google Workspace administrator about this.

In the meantime, feel free to open it in an incognito window and you should be able to view it.

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What are your thoughts on the Front Sheet concept?

Do you use one already?

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If you enjoyed this newsletter, please forward it to a friend who might enjoy it.

Have a great week!

Cheers,
Ben

P.S. I've just discovered Google Earth's Voyager feature. A fascinating way to explore our planet!