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Google has unveiled a suite of new features and improvements for Google Sheets. Highlights include doubling calculation speeds in Chrome and Edge, AI-driven organisation through Gemini for Workspace, pre-built templates, improved data formatting with new tables, and custom alerts for project management.
The recent performance upgrade for Sheets relies on an advanced web technology known as WasmGC, allowing more efficient code processing. This development results from collaboration between the Google Sheets and Chrome browser developers.
While currently available for Chrome and Edge, the company intends to bring this enhancement to other major browsers, such as Safari and Firefox, in upcoming releases.
The enhanced processing speed translates to a more responsive user experience. Spreadsheet calculations, from basic to intricate formulas, can now update noticeably faster. This improvement allows users to observe changes to their data almost instantaneously, making real-time analysis and decision-making more efficient.
“In addition to calculation speed, we’re constantly exploring new ways to improve the Sheets experience. For instance, we’re currently working to reduce initial load time and improve copy/paste and filter performance,” said Eric Birnbaum, Group Product Manager, Google Sheets.

To simplify data organisation, Google also introduced a new side panel experience in Gemini for Workspace. This feature allows users to chat with Gemini to summarise, analyse, and generate content within Sheets. The side panel leverages insights from emails, documents, and other sources to create contextually relevant spreadsheets and provide automatic summaries.
Google Sheets now offers users a selection of ready-made spreadsheet designs, streamlining the process of starting new projects. These pre-configured templates span various applications, including tools for organising tasks and monitoring stock levels. By providing these solutions, Google aims to reduce users’ time on initial setup, allowing them to focus more quickly on their specific data and objectives.
The company has also launched an improved table feature to make data structuring and formatting more intuitive. This feature includes advanced design elements such as column types, filters, colour coding, and dropdown menus. It automatically aligns inputs and ensures correct formatting based on the selected column type, reducing the need for manual adjustments.

This new enhancement can be useful for recruiters, marketers, and salespeople who rely on organised data to track progress and performance.
Google has introduced conditional notifications to help teams using Sheets. This feature allows users to set rules that trigger email alerts when specific criteria are met, such as changes in a column’s value.
With these updates, Google aims to cater to various workflows and user needs.
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