How to Make a to Do List in Google Sheets

Keeping track of all of the assignments that you have to complete and the events you have to attend can get tedious and difficult. With so much on your mind, if you don’t have a list of what needs to be done, it will easily be forgotten.

There are numerous apps that you can use to help you keep track of the things you need to do, but they may offer too much or not enough to fit your lifestyle. If you’re looking for a way to customize your to-do list, you might consider using Google Sheets.

Google Sheets wasn’t specifically designed for to-do lists, but it’s versatile enough to take on this task. If you find yourself wondering how to make a to-do list in Google Sheets, we can walk you through the process.

There’s no reason to stress yourself out using to-do apps that don’t quite cut it or trying to commit to memory the things that need to be done. Make your life as simple as possible by learning how to make a to-do list in Google Sheets.

How to Make a To-Do List in Google Sheets

One of the easiest ways to make a to-do list in Google Sheets is to use a to-do list Google Sheets template. You won’t have to waste time making something from scratch, which means you’ll be able to jump right into getting your work done.

Here’s how to access Google Sheets to-do list template:

Step 1: Log in to Google Drive

The first thing you need to do when learning how to make a to-do list in Google Sheets is to log in to Google Drive.

When given the opportunity, type in your username and password.

Step 2: Open Google Sheets

Once you’ve gained access to your Drive, you’ll then need to click on the New button in the upper left-hand corner of the screen and click on “Google Sheets” from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: Open the Template Gallery

To access the Google Sheets to-do list template, in the new spreadsheet, you’ll want to click on the File tab at the top of the screen.

A drop-down menu will appear, and the first choice on the list should be “New.” Clicking on that will open another menu, with the option “From template gallery.”

Click on that.

Step 4: Choose the To-Do List Template Google Sheets

The available options of templates will open in a new browser tab. From the list, look for the “To-Do list” template and click on it.

Step 5: Input Your Information

Once you’ve opened the to-do list template Google Sheets, you can then input your list of tasks. There is also a column with the date, and you can change this to reflect what day that task needs to be completed.

The nice thing about this list is that there are checkboxes included. When you click that a task has been completed, not only will a checkmark appear, but the rest of the text will get a line through it.

No matter what device you have, as long as you have access to the internet, you’ll be able to access this sheet and mark off your jobs as you finish them.

How to Make a Checklist in Google Sheets

In addition to wondering how to make a to-do list in Google Sheets using templates, you might also be asking how to make a checklist in Google Sheets from scratch. This will allow you to personalize your sheet so that it has all of the information you need to get your stuff done. To make a customized checklist in Google Sheets, you’ll undertake these steps:

Step 1: Open Google Drive

The first thing you’ll need to do when making a checklist in Google Sheets is log in to your Drive account.

Step 2: Open a Blank Sheet

Click on the New button and choose “Google Sheets” from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: Add Headings

In the blank document, starting at the top of the page, you’ll want to add some headings. These can be personalized to reflect the information that is most important to you, but some that you might consider include:

Date
Task
Completed (or Finished, Done, etc.)

Step 4: Freeze the Row with Your Headers

After inputting your headers into the cells on your sheet, you’ll want to freeze the row. This will ensure that no matter how long your to-do list gets or how much scrolling you need to do, these specific headers will always be visible.

Within the Sheet, click on the number of the first row you want to freeze to highlight it. You’ll know it’s selected because there will be a blue border around it.

Then, right-click your mouse to open an editing menu.

The very last item on the list should say, “View more row actions.”

Click on this.

Yet another menu will open, and the first option should say, “Freeze up to row 1.”

Click that.

Step 5: Insert Checkboxes

The column that you marked Completed (or whatever variation thereof) is where you want to insert your checkboxes. Highlight cell C2 or whichever row your list starts in.

Go to the Insert tab at the top of the page and click on it. From the drop-down menu, click on “Checkbox.”

The box should automatically appear in the cell.

Step 6: Use Conditional Formatting to Set the Formula

When learning how to make a to-do list in Google Sheets from scratch, after inserting the checkbox, you can then add other formatting options to your sheet. Basically, if you want to strike out the text when you’re done, this is where you add that.

You’ll need to highlight the text that you want to be crossed out. Then, right-click your mouse to bring up an editing menu.

Click “View more cell actions,” then choose “Conditional formatting.”

On the right-hand side of the screen, a new menu will appear. In the “Apply to range” box, add the cell numbers that this formatting will apply.

Click on the down arrow under “Format rules” and select “Custom formula is.”

A new dialogue box will appear, and you’ll want to type in “=A2=True.”

Under “Formatting style,” you’ll choose the “S” with a line through it.

Click “Done.”

Step 7: Check the Formula

To ensure that your formula works properly, you’ll want to type in some text into your task cells next to your checkbox. Then, click the checkbox and make sure that a line appears through the words.

Step 8: Fill Out Your To-Do List

Once you are satisfied with how your sheet looks, you can then finish filling it out with the information you need to include.

If you only created a checkbox in one cell, you can add them to the rest of your list by following the steps listed above or by highlighting the cell with the checkbox and then using your cursor to grab the square in the corner and dragging it over the empty cells you need a checkbox in.

How to Create a Task Tracker in Google Sheets

Not only might you be asking how to make a to-do list in Google Sheets, but you may also want to create a daily task tracker Google Sheets. We can walk you through the process to accomplish that endeavor as well.

What is a Daily Task Tracker?

Before giving you the step-by-step instructions to create a daily task tracker Google Sheets, it’s beneficial if you know exactly what this is. In essence, it’s not much different than a to-do list, and it helps you organize and manage jobs that need to get done on a daily basis.

There are apps and other software available to help you create a daily task tracker, but Google Sheets ensures that you create something that is customizable and easy to use — not to mention free.

Creating a Daily Task Tracker in Google Sheets

When it comes to creating your own daily task tracker, there are specific steps you’ll need to follow.

We are going to assume that you are already logged in to your Google Drive and have opened a new Google Sheet. After that, here’s what you do:

Step 1: Add the Today Formula

The first thing you’ll need to do when creating a daily task tracker is to add the formula (=TODAY) in cell D1.

This is about the middle of the sheet, so the day should be visible and easy to find.

Step 2: Add Columns on Either Side with +1 or -1

Once the date has been added to cell D1, for the three columns to the left, you’ll want to add the formula: =TODAY()-1. You’ll then do -2, -3, etc., for as many dates as you want for that week.

On the right-hand side of the date, you’ll add =TODAY()+1 and so forth for as many days as you want to go out.

Step 2a: Adding a Time Stamp

If you want to add a timestamp to your sheet, you can use the shortcut keys as follows:

Date – Control key + colon key
Time – Control key + Shift+ colon key

Step 3: Open a New Tab

At the bottom of your sheets page, click to add a new tab. This is where you’ll put the tasks you want for each day.

On this second sheet, at the top, type in the dates you added to the first page. Not to date formula, the actual dates.

Underneath those dates, you’ll then want to add some sample tasks. If you prefer, you could just type in “Task one,” “Task two,” etc., into the cells. Fill these in with as many tasks each day as you expect to have to complete.

Depending on how busy you are from day to day, some days might have more tasks than others.

Step 4: Go Back to the First Tab

When it comes to creating a daily task tracker, the next thing you’ll want to do is go back to the first tab on your sheet.

In the cells below the ones with the TODAY formula, you will input HLOOKUP formulas.

Specifically, it should look like this: =HLOOKUP($A$1,Sheet2!$1:$11,2,TRUE

This will be input into cell A2.

Once this has been entered into the first cell, you can then copy it to the other cells in the column by highlighting the cell, then grabbing the blue box and dragging it downward.

You can also drag these into the cells in the row in the same way.

Double-check to make sure the index numbers change to match the row number and column letter in each formula.

Step 5: Change Your Tasks from Week to Week

To use your daily task tracker from week to week, you can then open the template you just created and make a copy. For the title, you might consider adding the first day of the week.

Then, in tab 2, you’ll change the tasks to whatever it is that you have to complete each day of the week, and they should automatically update in tab 1.

Staying Organized and On Task

When it comes to being productive and getting things done, you first need to know which tasks have to be completed and when. Having a to-do list can be beneficial. If you’re wondering how to make a to-do list in Google Sheets using a template (which is the simplest), you’ll need to follow these steps: