Google Sheets is a versatile tool that emerged as a rival to the most known spreadsheet application, Microsoft Excel.

Google Sheets offers more or less the same functionalities as Excel so that users have no difficulties switching between them.

One of the important features of Google Sheets is the ability to add checkboxes to the cells. These boxes are useful for many purposes, such as tracking a project, taking attendance or making a to-do list.

In this article, we’ll show you how to add checkboxes in Google Sheets and use them effectively.

Insert checkboxes in Google Sheets using the Insert option

This is the first and the most simple method that you can use. With this method, you can insert the checkboxes in Google Sheets in just a few clicks.

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Just select a cell and then head to Insert > Tick box.

The tick box and check box are the same thing. Earlier, Google Sheets used the checkbox option but now you will have to use the Tick box option.

You will notice a small checkbox/tickbox in the cell.

Also read: How to merge cells in Google Sheets?

Insert checkboxes in Google Sheets using Data Validation

You can also insert checkboxes in Google Sheets using the Data Validation option.

Step 1: Click on the cell and navigate to Data > Data Validation.

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Step 2: Next, click on Add Rule.

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Step 3: Now, select Tick Box from the Criteria drop-down menu.

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Easy right? You can apply any of the two methods mentioned above to insert check boxes in Google Sheets.

You can add multiple checkboxes at once by selecting a range of cells and following the above steps. To remove a checkbox, select the cell and press Delete on your keyboard.

Also read: How to edit Google Docs, Sheets and Slides offline?

How to add custom values to a check box in Google Sheets?

By default, a check box in Google Sheets shows either TRUE when checked or FALSE when unchecked.

However, you can assign your custom values to the check box. For example, you can use YES, NO, DONE and PENDING values for a more interactive spreadsheet.

Here’s how to do that:

Step 1: In the Data Validation window, after selecting Tick Box (method 2), click on the Use custom cell value option just below the drop-down menu.

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Step 2: Insert your custom values.

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Now your check box will have the custom values that you specified. You can use these values for other purposes in your sheet, such as conditional formatting, formulas, or charts.

Also read: How to create a drop-down list in Google Sheets?

How to make your checkboxes more interactive and dynamic?

One of the main advantages of using checkboxes in Google Sheets is that you can make them more interactive and dynamic for yourself and others.

Here are some ways by which you can do that:

With the help of conditional formatting, you can change the colour and style of the cell based on whether the check box is checked or unchecked. For instance, you can highlight the cell as green when checked and red when unchecked. Go to Format > Conditional formatting.
You can use formulas to calculate or display information based on your checkboxes. For example, you can count how many tasks are done or pending or show a completion percentage. To do this, use functions like COUNTIF, SUMIF, or AVERAGEIF with your check box values as criteria.
Make use of charts to visualise your data based on check boxes. For example, you can create a bar chart or a pie chart that shows how many tasks are done or pending. To do this, select your data range and then go to Insert > Chart.

In conclusion, check box is a handy feature in Google Sheets that helps in creating a more dynamic spreadsheet instead of a mundane one. Use this feature wisely and showcase your company’s data in an interactive way.

Also read: How to create a table in Google Sheets?