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# Create Status Columns in Google Docs
- URL: https://www.jeffsu.org/productivity-ping-30/
- Published: 2022-05-13T12:43:56.000Z
- Updated: 2025-09-05T13:14:20.000Z
- Description: #30
- Author: Jeff
- Tags: #newsletter, Google Docs

## 🤔 What is it?

- Easily show the status of an action item using the latest “Dropdown Button” feature within Google Docs!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/85/db858a9d-1c4f-4993-8042-faa87b9bb3c1/content/images/2022/05/CleanShot-2022-05-13-at-20.35.38@2x.png)

How a simple project status table looks like in Google Docs

## 🤷🏻 When should I use this?

1. If you’re using Google Docs to document a project or campaign, insert a table on the first page and use that as a “Project Status” tracker
2. The 3 columns I always add are:  
\- Action Item  
\- Deadline  
\- Status

*\*Note: You can also add an “owner” column if it’s a shared Google Doc and there are multiple people working on this project*

### 📸 Instructions

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/85/db858a9d-1c4f-4993-8042-faa87b9bb3c1/content/images/2022/05/image-3.png)

Start by using the "table" smart chip

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/85/db858a9d-1c4f-4993-8042-faa87b9bb3c1/content/images/2022/05/image-4.png)

Then use the new "Dropdown" smart chip in the Status column

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/85/db858a9d-1c4f-4993-8042-faa87b9bb3c1/content/images/2022/05/image-5.png)

You can even re-order the rows in this table!

### ⌨️ Keyboard shortcut

- Command + Shift + 9 to quickly create a Checklist in Google Docs (Ctrl + Shift + 9 for Windows)

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