How to Use Gemini in Google Sheets (2026): The AI Function, Steps, Fixes and 25 Prompts
Quick answer: Gemini in Google Sheets needs a Google AI Pro or Ultra plan, or Google Workspace Business Standard or above. Then:
- Open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets on a computer.
- Click Ask Gemini at the top right to open the side panel.
- Describe what you want: a table, a formula, an analysis, a chart, or an action such as “highlight rows where sales are above 500”.
- Review the result and click Insert or Apply. If it is wrong, click Undo.
- For row-by-row work, type
=AI("your prompt", A2)in a cell, select it and click Generate and Insert.
- ✓Tables, formulas, charts and one-click actions · steps from Google’s own help pages
- ✓The =AI() function, with its real limits · 350 cells per run, no nesting, text only
- ✓Which plan you need and why Gemini is missing · plus 25 prompts with checks
Spreadsheets still eating the week? Hands-on Gemini sessions on your team’s own trackers, reports and data, live online or on-site. Send an enquiry · Book a free call
Compiled by an AI trainer whose clients include teams at companies like these
Is Gemini in Google Sheets free? Which plans include it
No. Gemini in Sheets sits higher up Google’s plan ladder than Gemini in Gmail. A plan that gives you Gemini in Gmail, such as Google AI Plus or Business Starter, does not include it in Sheets.
| Account | Gemini side panel | =AI() function | Enhanced Smart Fill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free personal Google account | No (Workspace Experiments testers only) | No (testers only) | No (testers only) |
| Google AI Plus | No | No | No |
| Google AI Pro or Ultra | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Workspace Business Starter or Enterprise Starter | No | No | No |
| Workspace Business Standard or Plus, Enterprise Standard or Plus | Yes | Yes | Yes |
You must be 18 or over. Workspace Experiments is a trusted tester programme for personal accounts in some countries; if you are in it, you see Ask Gemini at the top right. Current Google AI prices for your country are on the Google AI plans page. Sources: Get started with Google Workspace with Gemini and Google Workspace Experiments, Google Help, checked October 2026.
How to use Gemini in Google Sheets, step by step
These steps follow Google’s Collaborate with Gemini in Google Sheets article, checked October 2026, for Sheets on a computer.
Use a native Google Sheet
Gemini works best with Google Sheets files. For an Excel file, choose File → Save as Google Sheets first.
Open Ask Gemini
Click Ask Gemini at the top right. When a sheet has data, the panel often opens with a short summary of it.
Point it at the right data
In the prompt box, use the tab dropdown so that only the tabs you mean are selected. Name columns in your prompt (“the Region and Revenue columns”).
Ask for one outcome
A table, a formula, an analysis, a chart or an action. Press Enter.
Insert or apply
Click Insert for tables, formulas and charts, or Apply on an action preview card. Retry gives a different version.
Check, then keep
Spot-check the result against the data. Insert anything you want to keep: the conversation is lost when you reload or close the file.
A vague prompt
“Analyse this.”
You get a generic list of observations, some of them obvious and some based on the wrong column.
A useful prompt
“Using the Orders tab, compare revenue by region for Q2 and Q3, show the change in percent, and tell me which region drove most of the drop.”
You get an answer you can check and act on.
How to create tables and formulas with Gemini
Create a table
Ask for the structure you need, such as “Create a social media tracker for marketing”. Refine it with follow-ups (“add a cost column”), then click Insert. When you select a data range, Sheets may offer Convert to table and suggest a table name. Source.
Write a formula
Describe the calculation with your column names: “Create a formula that divides goals by games”. You can also start in a cell with = and press Ctrl + Alt + G (Mac: Cmd + Ctrl + G). Click the target cell, then Insert.
Fix a broken formula
When a cell shows an error, hover over it and click Fix. Gemini reviews the formula and explains the problem. Read the explanation; a formula that runs is not always a formula that is right.
Shortcut: to summarise the open spreadsheet, press Ctrl + Alt + N (Mac: Cmd + Ctrl + N). Source: Collaborate with Gemini in Google Sheets, checked October 2026.
How to analyse data and build charts in Google Sheets with Gemini
Ask questions about trends, comparisons and outliers in plain language. Gemini works out the steps and shows them, so you can check its logic rather than trusting a number.
Ask for analysis
- “Identify trends in this table”
- “Which five customers grew fastest this year?”
- Click Analysis steps to see how it got there
- Click Export to Docs to share the write-up
Create a chart
- “Create a chart with date on the x-axis and total on the y-axis”
- Click Preview, then Insert
- The chart lands in a new tab with its own copy of the data
- It does not update when the original data changes
Pull in other sources
- Summarise Drive files or Gmail emails from inside Sheets
- Import data through Workspace Marketplace connectors, if your admin allows them
- Add “Use Google Search” to the prompt for web answers
Gemini can also tackle optimisation problems, such as allocating a budget or planning staff shifts, from a plain-language description. Treat the answer as a model to test, not a decision. Source: Collaborate with Gemini in Google Sheets, checked October 2026.
Can Gemini edit Google Sheets directly? Yes, with actions you approve
On a computer, Gemini can change the sheet for you. Describe the change, and it shows an action preview card. Click Apply; when it finishes you get Settings (to adjust, for example, a pivot table) and Undo.
Format and validate
- Conditional formatting (“highlight dates in the past”)
- Dropdowns and checkboxes
- Number formats and table styles
Reshape
- Pivot tables
- Sort, filter and clear filters
- Insert, delete or freeze rows and columns
- Find and replace, fill a range
Several steps at once
“Make the Status and Priority columns dropdowns, add a Days until due column, add a Completed checkbox column, and highlight due dates in the next two weeks.” Check each change before you share the file.
Work on a copy first. For important files, duplicate the tab or the file before running a multi-step action. Undo works until you make further changes, so check straight away.
How to use the AI function (=AI) in Google Sheets
The side panel works on the sheet as a whole. The AI function works row by row, which makes it the right tool for tagging, summarising or rewriting hundreds of entries. Syntax: AI("prompt", [optional range]). Steps and limits are from Google’s Use the AI function in Google Sheets page, checked October 2026.
Put your data in the sheet
The function only sees the cells you give it, not the whole file or your Drive.
Type the formula
In a cell, type =AI("prompt", range), for example =AI("Classify this feedback as positive, negative or neutral", B2). =Gemini() works too, or use Insert → Function → AI.
Fill down
Copy the formula down the column, or in a table use Insert AI column right and autofill.
Generate
Select the cells and click Generate and Insert. Only the first 350 selected cells generate per run; then select the next batch.
Refresh when data changes
Click Refresh and Insert to regenerate. To see web sources for an answer, hover over the cell and click Sources.
Good jobs for =AI()
- Sentiment: “Classify the body of the email as positive, negative or neutral”
- Categories: “Categorise the inquiry as a compliment, exchange request or return request”
- Summaries: “Write a one-sentence summary of this customer’s feedback”
- Web facts: “What is the population of the listed capital city?”
Limits to plan around
- Text output only
- No undo or redo; regenerate instead
- Can’t be nested, for example inside IF()
- Short- and long-term limits; after a long-term limit, wait 24 hours
- Doesn’t run in Sheets opened through Box, Dropbox or Egnyte
- A custom function named AI or Gemini is remapped to this one
Enhanced Smart Fill is the quieter cousin. Type a few examples in a text column and Sheets predicts the rest (extracting phone numbers, standardising addresses, tagging topics). It needs at least 3 example rows, works on text columns in English, and runs on desktop. Source.
Gemini in the Google Sheets app (Android and iPhone)
What works
- Tap Open Gemini at the top right of the Sheets app
- Summaries, insights and questions about your data
- Charts, which you can save to Drive
What does not
- No editing or formatting: actions, pivot tables and new rows are computer-only
- Analysis covers the active tab, not the whole file
- Charts are static images
Requirements
- An eligible Google AI or Workspace plan
- Android 10 or later
- Google says it is still rolling out
Source: Collaborate with Gemini in Google Sheets on Android, checked October 2026.
Want your team getting more out of Sheets?
Hitesh’s sessions use your team’s real spreadsheets: sales trackers, budgets, survey exports and operations reports. People practise on their own files and leave with prompts and formulas they reuse. Tell us your team size, your Google Workspace edition and the spreadsheet work that takes the longest.
- Finance and operations: reconciliations, budgets, vendor data
- Sales and marketing: pipeline trackers, campaign reports, feedback tagging
- HR and L&D: survey analysis, headcount and training trackers
- Prefer to talk first? Book a free 30-minute call or WhatsApp Hitesh’s team
25 Gemini prompts for Google Sheets, grouped by the job you are doing
Swap anything in [brackets] for your details. Prompts 1-20 go in the Ask Gemini panel; 21-25 are AI functions you type into a cell. Each card says when to use it, what to open or select first, and what to check. The formula behind them: which data + what output + format + how to check.
Build and understand sheets (1-5)
1. Project tracker
When to use: Starting a tracker from nothing.
Create a project tracker table with columns for task, owner, start date, due date, status (dropdown: Not started, In progress, Done) and notes. Add 10 example rows for [project].
Attach or reference: Open a blank tab.
Check before you use it: Delete the example rows before real use.
2. Budget template
When to use: Planning spend for a team or event.
Create a monthly budget table for [team] with categories, planned amount, actual amount, variance and variance percent. Include a total row.
Attach or reference: A blank tab.
Check before you use it: The variance formulas point at the right columns.
3. Clean import layout
When to use: Raw data pasted from another system.
Suggest a clean table layout for this data: column names, data types and which columns to split or merge.
Attach or reference: Select the tab with the raw data.
Check before you use it: No column was dropped that someone still needs.
4. Summarise the sheet
When to use: Inheriting someone else’s spreadsheet.
Summarise this spreadsheet: what each tab contains, the key columns and anything that looks inconsistent.
Attach or reference: Open the file.
Check before you use it: Ask the owner about anything flagged as inconsistent.
5. Data dictionary
When to use: Sharing a sheet with a new team.
Create a table that lists every column in [tab] with a plain-English description, the data type and an example value.
Attach or reference: Select the tab.
Check before you use it: Descriptions match how the team actually uses each column.
Formulas (6-10)
6. Lookup formula
When to use: Matching data between two tabs.
Create a formula that finds the [price] for each [product code] in column A using the [Price list] tab, and shows “Not found” if missing.
Attach or reference: Name both tabs in the prompt.
Check before you use it: Test it on a code you know is missing.
7. Conditional total
When to use: Totals by category or date.
Create a formula that sums [revenue] for [region] = “West” and [month] = [October].
Attach or reference: Name the columns.
Check before you use it: Compare against a manual filter total once.
8. Working days
When to use: Deadlines and SLAs.
Create a formula for the number of working days between [start date] and [due date], excluding the holidays listed in [Holidays] tab.
Attach or reference: Keep a holidays tab.
Check before you use it: Check one row by hand with a calendar.
9. Explain a formula
When to use: A formula nobody understands any more.
Explain what the formula in [cell] does, step by step, and suggest a simpler version if one exists.
Attach or reference: Select the cell first.
Check before you use it: Test the simpler version on a copy before replacing.
10. Fix an error
When to use: A #N/A, #REF! or #VALUE! you can’t trace.
Hover over the cell and click Fix, or ask: why does [cell] show [error], and how do I fix it?
Attach or reference: The cell with the error.
Check before you use it: The fix solves the cause, not just hides the error.
Clean up and format with actions (11-15)
11. Highlight exceptions
When to use: Spotting problems quickly.
Highlight rows where [margin] is below [10%] in light red and rows where [status] is “Overdue” in orange.
Attach or reference: Gemini shows an action preview card; click Apply.
Check before you use it: Both rules appear in Format, Conditional formatting.
12. Dropdowns
When to use: Stopping free-text chaos.
Convert column [Status] to a dropdown with the values [Open, In progress, Blocked, Done].
Attach or reference: Click Apply on the preview.
Check before you use it: Old values that don’t match the list are fixed.
13. Pivot summary
When to use: A quick summary for a meeting.
Create a pivot table that shows the sum of [sales] by [region] and [quarter].
Attach or reference: Click Apply; use Settings to adjust it.
Check before you use it: Totals match the source data.
14. Standardise text
When to use: Inconsistent names and spellings.
Find all instances of [Bombay] in [column] and replace them with [Mumbai].
Attach or reference: Click Apply on the preview.
Check before you use it: No partial matches were changed by mistake.
15. Tidy for sharing
When to use: Before sending a sheet to a manager.
Freeze the header row, format [amount] as currency with two decimals, sort by [date] newest first, and apply a table style.
Attach or reference: Work on a copy if the file is shared widely.
Check before you use it: Undo straight away if anything looks wrong.
Analyse and chart (16-20)
16. Trends and drivers
When to use: Monthly or quarterly review.
Identify the main trends in [metric] over the last [12] months and what drove the biggest changes.
Attach or reference: Select the tab; name the columns.
Check before you use it: Open Analysis steps and check the logic.
17. Top and bottom performers
When to use: Ranking products, people or stores.
Which [5] [products] grew fastest and which [5] declined most between [period A] and [period B]? Show the percentage change.
Attach or reference: The data tab.
Check before you use it: Small bases can produce huge percentages; check the absolute numbers.
18. Outliers
When to use: Finding errors or fraud signals.
Find unusual values in [amount] compared with similar [vendors], and list the rows with a reason for each.
Attach or reference: The data tab.
Check before you use it: An outlier is a question to ask, not a conclusion.
19. Chart for a slide
When to use: A visual for a presentation.
Create a line chart of [revenue] by [month] for [2025 and 2026], with a clear title.
Attach or reference: Click Preview, then Insert.
Check before you use it: The chart will not update if the source data changes.
20. Write-up for a manager
When to use: Turning analysis into words.
Write a five-bullet summary of what this data shows for [audience], including one risk and one recommended action. Then export it to Docs.
Attach or reference: Run after your analysis prompts.
Check before you use it: Every number in the bullets matches the sheet.
AI function in cells (21-25)
21. Sentiment column
When to use: Survey or review exports.
=AI("Classify this comment as positive, negative or neutral. Only output one word.", B2)
Attach or reference: Comments in column B; fill the formula down.
Check before you use it: Read 20 random rows to judge accuracy.
22. Theme tagging
When to use: Open-ended survey answers.
=AI("Tag this feedback with one theme from: pricing, delivery, quality, support, other.", C2)
Attach or reference: Feedback in column C.
Check before you use it: Check the “other” rows; they often reveal a missing theme.
23. One-line summaries
When to use: Long notes in a CRM export.
=AI("Summarise this account note in one sentence for a sales manager.", D2)
Attach or reference: Notes in column D.
Check before you use it: Nothing sensitive goes into a sheet shared outside the team.
24. Personalised email lines
When to use: Outreach or follow-ups.
=AI("Write a two-sentence follow-up for this customer based on their last order and feedback.", A2:D2)
Attach or reference: A row range with name, order and feedback.
Check before you use it: A human reads every line before anything is sent.
25. Extract a field
When to use: Messy text with a value buried inside.
=AI("Extract the invoice number from this text. Output only the number or NONE.", E2)
Attach or reference: Text in column E.
Check before you use it: For simple patterns, a REGEXEXTRACT formula is faster and exact.
1,100 survey comments to a leadership summary, start to finish
In Hitesh’s sessions, people bring a spreadsheet they genuinely have to work on that week. This composite example, with details changed, shows the pattern.
The real task
An HR business partner has 1,100 open-text answers from an employee survey and a leadership review on Friday.
Tag every answer
In a new column: =AI("Tag this comment with one theme from: workload, manager, pay, growth, tools, other", C2). She generates in batches of 350.
Check the tagging
She reads 30 random rows. “Tools” is over-used, so she adds a short definition of each theme to the prompt and refreshes.
Summarise by team
In Ask Gemini: “Create a pivot table of theme counts by department.” She clicks Apply and checks the totals against the row count.
Find the story
“Which department has the highest share of workload comments, and how does it compare with the company average?” She opens Analysis steps to confirm the calculation.
Chart and write up
“Create a bar chart of the top themes by department.” Then a five-bullet summary, exported to Docs, which she edits into her own words.
Why it works: the AI function did the slow row-by-row tagging, the side panel did the summarising, and she spent her time checking and deciding. Step 3 is the one people skip, and it is why her numbers held up in the meeting.
Gemini not showing or not working in Google Sheets? Nine fixes
Start at the top. The plan explains most cases.
| Symptom | Likely reason | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No Ask Gemini button in Sheets | Plan doesn’t include Sheets (free, AI Plus, Business Starter) | Check the plan table; Sheets needs AI Pro, Ultra or Business Standard and above |
| Gemini in Gmail works, but not in Sheets | Same reason: Gmail is on lower plans than Sheets | Upgrade, or ask IT which edition you are on |
| “AI function not available” | No eligible plan, admin settings, or unsupported account language | Check plan and language; ask your admin |
| Gemini struggles with an Excel file | The file is an .xlsx; Gemini works best with native Google Sheets | File → Save as Google Sheets |
| Only part of the column generated | 350-cell limit per run | Wait, then select the next batch and generate |
| Generate button stopped working | Long-term generation limit reached | Wait 24 hours |
| Error when =AI() is inside IF() | Nested AI functions aren’t supported | Put =AI() in its own column and reference it |
| Chart didn’t update with new data | Gemini charts use a copy of the data | Regenerate the chart, or build a normal chart on the live range |
| Can’t format or edit from my phone | Actions are computer-only | Use Sheets on a computer for edits |
Sources: Gemini features and plans, AI function limitations, Collaborate with Gemini in Sheets and supported languages, checked October 2026.
Accuracy and data safety with Gemini in Sheets
Accuracy
- Google warns that Gemini can be inaccurate; it is not financial or professional advice
- Check a sample of AI-function rows and every formula on a known case
- AI-function output is attributed to you in version history
Sharing
- If a file is shared outside your domain, Gemini warns that its content may be visible to outside users
- Keep personal and client data out of widely shared sheets
Your data
- Google says Gemini in Workspace apps doesn’t use your content to train generative AI models
- Sheets conversations aren’t saved to Gemini Activity
Gemini in Sheets or Copilot in Excel? They solve the same problems in different suites. If your data lives in Google Drive, Gemini is the native choice; for Microsoft 365, see how to use Copilot in Excel. Either way, the habit matters more than the tool: name the data, ask for one outcome, and check the result.
Who wrote this guide
This guide is by Hitesh Motwani, an AI trainer and the author of Generative AI 360°. He has trained 200,000+ professionals across 16+ countries, his corporate clients include Google, Microsoft and Tata Group, and he runs leadership-focused AI training for founders and CXOs.
Every step, plan detail and limit here was checked on Google’s Docs Editors Help pages in October 2026, with links beside each section. Where Google says a feature is still rolling out, we say so. The worked example is a composite of exercises from Hitesh’s sessions, with details changed.
His sessions are hands-on: people use Gemini on their own spreadsheets and leave with prompts, formulas and workflows they use the next morning.
Gemini in Google Sheets: your questions answered
How do I use Gemini in Google Sheets?
Open a Google Sheet on a computer, click Ask Gemini at the top right and describe a table, formula, analysis, chart or action. Click Insert or Apply. For row-by-row work, use =AI("prompt", cell).
Is Gemini in Google Sheets free?
No. It needs Google AI Pro or Ultra on a personal account, or Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard or Enterprise Plus. Google AI Plus and Starter editions don’t include it.
Why is Gemini not showing in Google Sheets?
Usually your plan doesn’t include Sheets, the file is an Excel file, or your admin or language settings block it.
How do I enable Gemini in Google Sheets?
Get an eligible plan, or ask your admin to turn Gemini on for your Workspace group. Then open a native Google Sheet; Ask Gemini appears at the top right.
What is the AI function in Google Sheets?
A formula, =AI("prompt", range) or =Gemini(), that generates text, summaries, categories or sentiment for each row. It only sees the range you give it, and up to 350 selected cells generate per run.
Can Gemini edit Google Sheets directly?
Yes, on a computer. It applies conditional formatting, dropdowns, pivot tables, sorting, filters and more after you click Apply, with Undo available. The mobile app can analyse but not edit.
Can Gemini create a Google Sheet for me?
Yes. In Sheets, ask the side panel to create a table and click Insert. From Gmail’s Ask Gemini panel, you can ask it to create a new spreadsheet.
Can Gemini write formulas in Google Sheets?
Yes. Describe the calculation in the side panel or press Ctrl + Alt + G in a cell, then Insert. On an error cell, click Fix.
Does Gemini work in the Google Sheets mobile app?
Partly. On Android 10 or later, tap Open Gemini for summaries, insights and charts. Editing and formatting are computer-only.
Why does it say "AI function not available"?
Your plan doesn’t include it, your admin has turned it off, or your account language isn’t supported.
Is my data safe with Gemini in Google Sheets?
Google says Gemini in Workspace apps doesn’t use your content to train generative AI models. Watch for the warning on files shared outside your domain.
Gemini in Sheets or Copilot in Excel: which is better?
Use the one built into the suite your company runs on. Both build formulas, analyse data and chart trends, with different plan rules.
How can my team learn Gemini in Sheets properly?
Practise on real spreadsheets and share prompts that work. For a team, a hands-on session is quickest: see Google Gemini corporate training or compare Gemini courses and certifications.
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- How to use ChatGPT deep researchCited reports in minutes
- AI learning pathWhat to learn next
Gemini builds the formula. Practice makes it useful.
Teams get value from Gemini in Sheets when they use it on the spreadsheets they actually own. Hitesh runs hands-on Gemini sessions on your team’s own trackers, reports and data, live online or at your office.
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