Google Sheets, which is used by many companies, is used not only for managing numerical data related to business, but also as a “note” mainly for text information.
However, Google Sheets has a strong impression of being a spreadsheet software, and many people may be concerned that “I want to make Google Sheets an easy-to-read memo pad, but I do not know how exactly to do it.
In this issue, we will focus on 7 steps for making memos in Google Sheets for below people.
- “I want to manage notes in Google Sheets, which I use on a regular basis.”
- “I want to promote management in Google Sheets because I am worried about omissions in a paper memo pad.”
- “I want to share information about on-site situations and customer interviews by writing them down in Google Sheets.”
This article will help you understand the concrete steps to turn Google Sheets into a memo pad and find the best memo management method for your company.
Contents
7 Steps｜How to create a notepad in Google Sheets
Below is a 7-step guide on how to create a notepad in Google Sheets. The explanation is accompanied by images, so you can actually operate Google Sheets while creating your notepad.
Step (1) Entering text
First, enter some text into the Google Sheets.
Google Sheets has a grid-like frame called a “cell”, so select any cell and type your text.
Also, Google Sheets text can change color as shown above, so you can use a specific color to make important parts of the text stand out.
Step (2) Indent the text
Next, indent the text you have entered into the Google Sheets.
When you look back at your note later, if you do not indent the text and organize the information systematically, you will not be able to understand what is written in the memo. To create a memo that is easy to understand, indent the text and organize the information as shown in the figure below.
To indent in Google Sheets, simply shift the cell columns and enter the text.
Step (3) Attach an image
Next, attach an image to your Google Sheets.
Google Sheets allows you to attach not only text, but also pictures taken with your iPhone or other smart phone as notes. The specific operation procedure is as follows.
- Click [Insert] in the upper left corner of the screen.
- Click [Image] when the options appear.
Then, select “Insert image in cell” or “Insert image over cells”. With these operations, you can insert the image on the sheet.
Step (4) Create a table
The next step is to make a tabular note on Google Sheets.
Since Google Sheets is a spreadsheet software, it is convenient to create tabular notes easily. For example, if you want to make a note of the number of inventory of equipment in your company, enter the items as shown in the figure below, and draw a ruled line in the cell from [Borders] in the upper center of the screen.
Step (5) Use hyperlinks
Next, use a “hyperlink” to embed a website link (URL) in the text.
Web site links are long strings of text, and if you paste them directly into Google Sheets, you will end up with a memo that is difficult to read. Therefore, you can organize your memo by embedding the link in the text you have entered in advance using the following procedure.
- Click [Insert] in the upper left corner of the screen
- Click [Link] in the menu of the screen
- Enter the text and link in each field on the setting screen
With the above operations, you can embed a link in the text. As shown in the figure above, when you click on the text to which the hyperlink has been applied, the embedded website will open.
Step (6) Colorize the text
Next, change the background color of the text and use it like a marker.
In Google Sheets, you can not only change the text color of text, but also fill cells to create easy-to-understand notes. The specific setting procedure is as follows.
- Select the cell whose background color you want to change
- Select the desired color from [Fill Color] that appears
With this 2steps, you can use the cell fill function like a marker to make the text stand out.
Step (7) Separate by category
Finally, create a new sheet to sort your notes by category.
Google Sheets files have “sheets” that allow you to categorize information in different categories, which is a great way to organize your notes. Specifically, a new sheet is created by clicking the [+] in the lower left corner of the Google Sheets screen.
By categorizing the sheets as “Inventory Notes”, “Meeting Notes”, and “Business Notes” for example, you can not only keep your notes from becoming disorganized, but you can also quickly access the desired information.
Disadvantages of using Google Sheets to organize work notes
Although we have shown you how to use Google Sheets as a note substitute, there are some disadvantages as follows. In particular, you need to be careful when operating it as a note of your work.
- It is troublesome to update the file, so you do not look back
- It is difficult to view and edit from a mobile phone
A note is a reminder to look back at important information later, but you need to find and open the file every time you make a note.
Since files such as Google Sheets are developed for PCs, it is difficult to view or edit them from a small screen such as an Smartphone. Therefore, the disadvantage is that you cannot easily take notes when you are out and about or on the move.
Thus, there are disadvantages to operating Google Sheets as a memo, so if you want to leave a memo easily, use a “Note taking app”. Some note taking apps, such as Stock, allow you to access your memos with just a few operations and allow you to easily leave notes from your smartphone.
Best note taking app for all business situations
Below is best note taking apps that are useful in all kinds of situations.
Notes created in Google Sheets have the disadvantage that you have to find and open the file every time you want to view or update them. In addition, if you leave all kinds of business information as memos on Google Sheets, the number of files will increase and become difficult to manage, and there is a possibility that you will lose track of what notes you wrote and where.
Therefore, if you introduce a “Note taking app” that allows you to manage notes more easily than Google Sheets, you can look back on your notes immediately, making it easier to use the information effectively.
However, choose a note taking app that is easy for anyone to use, because if the app is complicated to operate, employees will not be able to master it and it will gradually become unused. In conclusion, the note taking app that is easier to use than Google Sheets is Stock, which is equipped with the “information management function” essential for note management without excess or deficiency, and can take out a note immediately with just a few operations.
You can leave notes in “Note” of Stock and manage them in “Folders” divided by category. Folders are arranged in two levels, and the main feature is that you can find the desired note more intuitively and easily than with conventional file management.
Stock| The easiest app to create and manage notes
The simplest tool to stock information "Stock"
https://www.stock-app.info/en/
Stock is the simplest tool to stock information. Stock solves the problem, "there is no easy way to stock information within the company".
With Stock, anyone can easily store all kinds of information, including text information such as requirements, images, and files, using the Note feature.
In addition, by using the "Task" and "Message" functions, you can communicate with each topic described in the Note, so that information is not dispersed here and there and work can always be carried out in an organized manner.
＜Why do we recommend Stock?＞
- A tool for companies that are not familiar with ITYou don't need to have any IT expertise to get started.
- Simple and usable by anyoneStock is so simple that anyone can use it without any unnecessary features.
- Amazingly easy information storing and task managementIt is amazingly easy to store information such as shared information within a company, and intuitive task management is also possible.
＜Stock's pricing＞
- Free plan ：Free
- Business plan ：$5 / User / Month
- Enterprise plan ：$10 / User / Month
Summary of how to create and use the Google Sheets as a notepad
We have focused on the procedure for creating a notepad in Google Sheets and the disadvantages of Google Sheets.
Google Sheets, which has been adopted by many companies, can be used not only for numerical management but also as a “note”. However, there are disadvantages to Google Sheets notes, such as the need to find and open the desired file when updating or viewing, and the difficulty of operating from a smartphone.
Therefore, by introducing a “note taking app” that streamlines memo creation and management, you can take notes regardless of time or location, and quickly check your notes when necessary. However, if the app has many functions, employees will not be able to use it, and will revert back to the management in Google Sheets, which has become a gentrified system.
In conclusion, to build an environment where information can be easily used effectively by operating a note taking app, an app like Stock that can be used by employees in a non-IT company and can easily create and manage notes on the small screen of a smartphone is a must.
It only takes 1 minute to register for free, so using Stock to properly manage your memos.
