Add Column In Google Sheets

What Is Add Column In Google Sheets?

Add Column in Google Sheets allows users to insert a single or multiple columns into an existing dataset which helps in structuring and organizing the dataset. Using the Google Sheets Add Column, users can further delete, hide, unhide and move columns and increase or decrease column-width, according to the entered data.

For example, we have the student scores given below against their names. We have the data without their IDs. Let us use the Google Sheets Add Column to insert a column to enter the IDs.

Select Column B and insert one Column to the right, i.e. between Columns B and C, as shown below.

The resulting dataset is shown above. We have a new column inserted after Column B and i takes the name as Column C. And the previous Column C becomes Column D. Now, we have a Column to add the student ID.

How To Add/Insert Column In Google Sheets?

A few ways to Add/Insert Column in Google Sheets are,

1. Using the Right-Click on the Column.
2. Using the Insert Tab.

Method #1 – Using the Right-Click on the Column-

Step 1: Select the Column header, here Column C, where we want to Add a Column.

Step 2: Right-click and select “Insert 1 column left” or “Insert 1 column right”, as required, to Add a Column, as shown below.

Method #2 – Using the “Insert” tab –

Step 1: Select the Column header, here Column C, where we want to Add a Column.

Step 2: Select the “Insert” tab – click the “Columns” right-arrow – select “Insert 1 column left” or “Insert 1 column right”, as required, as shown below.

Examples

We will perform the below mentioned work-arounds as Add Column in Google Sheets examples,

1. Add Multiple Columns in Google Sheets.
2. Resizing and Adjusting Column in Google Sheets.
3. Hide and Unhide Column in Google Sheets.
4. Move Column in Google Sheets.

Let us consider the following employee details dataset that consists of the employee names, their IDs, departments and January to June salaries and perform the above-mentioned modifications for the dataset.

Example #1 – Add Multiple Columns in Google Sheets

Remember that we have the option to insert one column on the left or right when we click on a Column header, as we learnt earlier. Therefore, to insert multiple columns, we must select that many columns and insert. We will understand that better with the example.

The steps to Add Multiple Columns in Google Sheets are as follows,

Step 1: Select Columns A and B – right-click to see the available options, as shown below.

Step 2: Select the “Insert 2 columns left” option to get the following modified dataset. The rest of the dataset moved to the corresponding columns.

Example #2 – Resizing and Adjusting Column in Google in Google Sheets

Consider the dataset if it is as shown below, where the Column A Department data is not clearly visible. We will Resizing and Adjusting Column in Google Sheets to view the data.

The steps Resizing and Adjusting Column in Google Sheets can be done in a couple of ways, as follows:

Step 1: Select Column A, right-click and select the “Resize column” option, as shown below.

Step 2: The “Resize column A” dialog box appears. Select the “Fit to data” option and click “OK”, as shown below.

[Note: We will not select the first “Enter new column width in pixels. (Default: 100)” option, since we will not be able to get the width in pixel. Also, the entered data may vary.]

The resized data is shown below.

[Alternatively,

• We can double-click on the right end of the Column Header, where the Drag Bar appears, to automatically resize or adjust the column-width, according to the data in it. OR
• We can use the Drag Bar to drag the column and adjust the column-width as far as we want to.

Example #3 – Hide and Unhide Column in Google Sheets

The steps to Hide and Unhide Column in Google Sheets are as follows:

Step 1: To Hide columns, select columns E and F à right-click on the selection and choose the “Hide columns E-F” option, as shown below.

The modified dataset with right and arrows appearing on the Column Header between Columns D and G.

Step 2: The unhide option appears, only if there are hidden columns. We can see in the previous image, in Step 1, after Hide option, we have Resize option.

To Unhide the columns, select columns D and G à right-click on the selection and choose the “Unhide columns” option, that appears between the Hide and Resize options, as shown below.

[Alternatively, to unhide columns, we can click the arrows between Columns D and G headers, as shown.

Example #4 – Move Column in Google Sheets

Let us move the employee names column C to Column A for the dataset to start with names. We must understand that moving a column in simple terms is cut and paste.

The steps Move Column in Google Sheets are as follows:

Step 1: First, insert a new column, as shown below.

Step 2: Next, select Column D – right-click and select the “Cut” option, as shown below.

Step 3: Now, on Column A, right-click and select the “Paste” option.

Now the dataset is as shown below.

Step 4: Right-click on Column D and select the “Delete” option.

The final dataset with the moved Column C employee names data will look, as shown below.

Shortcuts To Add Columns In Google Sheets

The Shortcuts to Add Columns In Google Sheets are as follows:

1. To insert a Column to the left à Select the Column header and press the keys “Alt+i+c”.
2. To insert a Column to the right à Select the Column header and press the keys “Alt+i+o”.

Important Things To Note

1. When we cut a column, ensure to insert a new column before pasting the cut cells. Or else it will get pasted on the existing data. Meaning, it will overwrite the data.
2. If the columns are hidden, when we copy data and paste it, the hidden columns, by default, will get copy-pasted.
3. If we select one column, then, we get option to insert only one column. To insert multiple columns, select that many columns and then we can see the option to insert that many columns to the left or to the right.
4. The same holds good while deleting the columns. Multiple columns give us multiple columns delete option.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Download Template

This article must help understand Add Column in Google Sheets with its formulas and examples. You can download the template here to use it instantly.

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