Are you tired of trying out sophisticated to-do list apps that just don’t meet all your criteria? Look no further because I have been using Google Sheets as my to-do list tool for the past 12 years, and it has never failed me.
The beauty of Google Sheets as a to-do list
Sure, Google Sheets wasn’t originally designed to be a to-do list application, but that’s exactly why I love it. It’s a tool I’m already familiar with, highly customizable, and requires fewer clicks than most other options. Who has time to waste on unnecessary clicks? You just want to get things done!
Now let’s see how you can use a spreadsheet as a to-do list with the help of a Google Sheets template.
How to use the Google Sheets to-do list template
To start using Google Sheets as your to-do list, make a copy of my template to get started.
The template already contains notes on how to customize it, so if you want to take control, you can stop here and create your own spreadsheet. But if you want a detailed guide, keep reading.
1. Basic setup of the to-do list
When it comes to professional tasks, there are generally two critical aspects you need to keep track of: what needs to be done and when. Additionally, there are other pieces of information like links to briefings and Slack threads. This brings us to the three main columns you’ll see in the spreadsheet:
- Date (when to do it)
- Tasks (what to do)
- Notes/Links (other information)
Of course, you can customize the existing columns or add new ones. Here are a few columns you might consider adding to your to-do list:
- Task Type: If you’re an editor and your daily tasks fall into categories like administration, research, and editing, add a dropdown list to easily categorize your work. You can then sort or filter your spreadsheet by task type to quickly group similar tasks.
- Time Estimation: Add the approximate number of hours you think a task will take so you can plan your day accordingly and ensure you have enough time to get everything done. I recommend using 30-minute increments (e.g., 0.5, 1, 1.5) or 15-minute increments (e.g., 0.25, 0.5, 0.75) if you have many small tasks. Once you’ve added your estimations, highlight those cells and make sure they don’t total more than 40 hours for a given week.
By adding the “Task Type” and “Time Estimation” columns, you’ll also get a clearer view of how you spend your time, helping you plan and prioritize your future tasks.
Now let’s talk about a few lines or sections you might want to keep.
- Weekly separators: I use a solid grey bar with dates in the leftmost column to visually separate weeks. This way, when someone asks if I have time to take on a project, I can quickly look at my week and assess my availability.
- “Someday” section: I usually have about a month’s worth of weeks ready for tasks. I add these “to-do” tasks to my “Someday” section, so I can quickly scroll to see what’s coming up while keeping my focus on the present.
2. Formatting your Google Sheets to-do list
The advantage of using Google Sheets or any other spreadsheet application for your to-do list is that you have many formatting options that most to-do lists lack. You can change the color of a cell or make the text bold to indicate high-priority tasks. Or you can simply write “IMPORTANT” in front of the task. Do whatever works for you.
For consistency, choose colors to indicate specific things like priority, effort level, or task type. For example, I always highlight a row in blue if I’m out of the office so I don’t overload my week. And I highlight a row in red if it’s a non-negotiable task—something I must do on the same day due to an external deadline.
You can even use conditional formatting to automatically format rows containing specific text. For example, you can always highlight rows containing the name of a specific person like an important client or your boss.
3. Adding tasks to your to-do list
As tasks come up, insert a new row in your spreadsheet and add the task along with any other details you want.
Need to rearrange your tasks? Just drag a row to a new location, and you’re good to go. No need to switch between views or click a dozen times to get where you need to go.
Not surprisingly, I use Zapier to automate my to-do list. My favorite Zap (our term for an automated workflow between applications) is quite simple: automatically send any messages I save in Slack to the “Tasks” column in my Google Sheets to-do list and add the Slack thread link to the “Notes/Links” column. This way, I can refer back to the thread if I need more information when it’s time to accomplish the task.
I also have specific Zaps set up for some of my recurring procedures.
Of course, if you primarily use emails, you can set up the same system. For example, you could send all emails with a specific label to your spreadsheet.
4. Checking off tasks from your to-do list
Once you’ve completed a task, cross off the row to mark it as done. You can also use the keyboard shortcut: Command+Shift+X on Mac or Alt+Shift+5 on Windows.
If strikethroughs bother you visually, you can insert a checkbox column.
- Insert a column next to your “Task” column (I prefer inserting it to the left of my task).
- Select the rows you want to add checkboxes to.
- Click “Insert” and then select “Checkbox.”
Now the whole row is yours for checking off those boxes.
One final tip to keep your to-do list manageable: at the end of the week, hide the rows from the previous week so that your current week is always at the top. Here’s how to hide rows in Google Sheets:
- Select the rows you want to hide.
- Right-click the selected rows, then click “Hide rows [selected row numbers].”
Google Sheets to-do list template: FAQ
I often receive questions about this seemingly simple system. Sometimes the answer is simply “No, that can’t be done.” Other times, I have more helpful responses. Here are a few frequently asked questions to help you decide if the Google Sheets to-do list is right for you.
Why not just use a Google Docs to-do list?
Do what works for you—if Google Docs works for you, go ahead and use it. Personally, it’s just a matter of preference. But there are many excellent Google Docs to-do list templates you can use. If you need a truly simple to-do list, you can use a Google Docs checklist.
Doesn’t your Google Sheets to-do list become cluttered?
If you hide tasks from previous weeks, it should generally stay manageable. But if you feel that your “Someday” section is getting long or you have a whole category of items that don’t quite fit, you can always add a new spreadsheet. For example, I use a separate spreadsheet to track my work-related reading list.
If you use a read-it-later app like Pocket, connect it to Zapier. This way, you can automatically add new Pocket articles to read to your spreadsheet.
Can Google Sheets be used as a collaborative to-do list app?
I would say it’s best used as a personal to-do list, but you can certainly share it like any other spreadsheet and turn it into a team app. Thanks to its detailed revision history, you don’t have to worry about losing something because a colleague accidentally modified it.
Can you do more advanced things with spreadsheets?
I’m glad you asked! Yes, Google Sheets makes it easy to analyze your to-do list with sophisticated charts.
- Click the “More” icon (represented by three dots (…)) in the toolbar.
- Click “Insert chart.”
Google Sheets will automatically create a chart based on a selected range of data, but you can play around with the range and other factors to create a nice chart, like seeing which days tend to have the most tasks.
If you really want to dive into something more advanced, you can even try creating a Gantt chart with Google Sheets.
Use the to-do list tool that suits you
There’s no shame in using a classic to-do list. Here at Crawlan.com, some people use emails, .txt files, or even pen and paper (gasp!). If you haven’t found a to-do list app that meets all your needs yet, give the Google Sheets method a try for a week and see if it works for you.
