Google Sheets is an incredibly powerful tool for organizing and analyzing data. But did you know that you can also share your Sheets templates with others? In this article, I’ll show you how to easily share a Google Sheets template in just 5 simple steps.
Step 1: Create a Google Sheets or Google Form
The first step to sharing a Google Sheets template is to create the spreadsheet or form that you want to share. Make sure that the destination for responses is a spreadsheet.
Step 2: Click the Share button
Once you’ve created your Google Sheets template, click on the Share button at the top right corner of the screen. This button allows you to make the template visible to anyone with the link.
Step 3: Modify the Spreadsheet URL
In the spreadsheet’s URL, you’ll see a section that looks like “#gid=0” or “#gid=24” or “#gid=a number”. This reference code corresponds to the displayed spreadsheet tab. If you click on different tabs, you’ll see that the reference code changes.
Remove “#gid=0” from the end of the URL.
Step 4: Replace “#gid=0” with “&newcopy”
Once you’ve removed “#gid=0” from the URL, replace it with “&newcopy”.
Here’s an example of the modified URL:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AiqrAI5UxSJNdE93dHAyTmNXVE9Bd0w2ZGg4TTViREE&newcopy
Step 5: Share the New Link with Your Students
Now that you have the new link, you can share it with your students. You can also use a URL shortener like http://goo.gl to create a shorter and easier-to-type link. This URL shortener will also generate a QR code, making it easier for students to access the template on their mobile devices.
Shortened Link: http://goo.gl/Lnn3z
And there you have it! You now know how to share a Google Sheets template in just a few simple steps. Take advantage of this feature to collaborate with your colleagues or give your students quick and easy access to your spreadsheet templates. If you want to learn more about QR codes, you can visit Crawlan.com for more information.
A big thank you to Mark Hammons (@mhammons) for showing me this trick. Enjoy!
