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# Google Sheets: Time-saving Tables tricks
- URL: https://www.jeffsu.org/newsletter-177/
- Published: 2024-09-12T13:00:32.000Z
- Updated: 2025-09-05T12:49:45.000Z
- Description: #177
- Author: Jeff
- Tags: #newsletter, Google Sheets

*(you can easily* [*filter previous issues*](https://www.jeffsu.org/filter-previous-editions-by-app/) *by application!)*

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## Workspace Toolkit v2

Hey friends - Before diving into today's tip, I'd like to announce that **V2 of my Workspace Toolkit has officially launched!**

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/85/db858a9d-1c4f-4993-8042-faa87b9bb3c1/content/images/2024/09/Toolkit-v2-Thumbnail.png)

Over 12,000 of you have downloaded the first version since August, and after **reviewing 1,000+ feedback comments** (where I totally *did not* use Google Gemini to summarize them 😏), I’ve made some improvements.

[Grab my Workspace Toolkit v2 for free!](https://academy.jeffsu.org/workspace-toolkit?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=post&utm%5Fcampaign=pp117)

Onto today's tip for Google Sheets' Tables feature:

## A refresher on Tables

Two months ago I shared a few tips and tricks on how to use Google Sheets’ [new Tables feature](https://www.jeffsu.org/newsletter-169/) and since then they’ve made quite a few improvements!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/85/db858a9d-1c4f-4993-8042-faa87b9bb3c1/content/images/2024/09/CleanShot-2024-09-09-at-09.13.49.gif)

Just in case you missed that edition, we can now easily convert raw data into a pretty table with just two clicks (Right Click > Convert to table).

This allows us to access a variety of features such as naming the table (to reference in formulas!) and editing column types (e.g. converting all cells within a column to Dropdown).

## New Features

After shortening my “Date & Time” column to just show the “Date,” I can check “Show placeholders.”

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/85/db858a9d-1c4f-4993-8042-faa87b9bb3c1/content/images/2024/09/CleanShot-2024-09-09-at-09.23.48.gif)

Although that doesn’t seem to do much by itself, notice what happens when I click the “+” sign to add a new row:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/85/db858a9d-1c4f-4993-8042-faa87b9bb3c1/content/images/2024/09/CleanShot-2024-09-09-at-09.28.19.gif)

Date placeholders are created automatically, which saves me the trouble of typing out a date (and risk messing up the format).

## Pro tip

- Instead of clicking the “+” icon, you can select any cell from within the table > highlight a row below > Press Cmd/Ctrl+D to create new rows (Cmd/Ctrl+R to create new columns)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/85/db858a9d-1c4f-4993-8042-faa87b9bb3c1/content/images/2024/09/CleanShot-2024-09-09-at-09.29.18.gif)

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