In this article, I’ll show you how to share individual sheets in Google Sheets instead of an entire workbook in just a few simple steps. While there isn’t a direct method in Google Sheets for sharing only one sheet effectively, we can apply workarounds.
Share a Single Sheet that Both Parties Can Edit
This method allows both parties to edit the data and involves copying the data to a new sheet and sharing that sheet with others. This method also copies cell formatting to the new sheet.
As part of the demonstration below, example workbooks have been created. Access these workbooks and follow along by clicking the links below:
- Click on the tab you want to share
- At the bottom of the screen are the tabs within the workbook. Click on the tab you want to share to select it.
- In the example below, we will click on the tab titled “Sheet2”.
- Select all cells in the sheet
- Click on any empty cell in the sheet and press Ctrl + A (Cmd ⌘ + A on Mac) to select all cells.
- Alternatively, you can click on the gray box at the top left of the sheet, above row 1 and next to column A.
- Copy the data by pressing Ctrl + C (Cmd ⌘ + C on Mac)
- With all cells selected, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl (Cmd ⌘ on Mac) + C to copy the data.
- Alternatively, click on “Edit” in the File menu and select “Copy” from the displayed menu.
- Create a new workbook by clicking File > New > Spreadsheet
- In the top File menu, click on “File” to display the menu, then select “New” and choose “Spreadsheet” from the side menu.
- Paste the data using Ctrl + V (Cmd ⌘ + V on Mac)
- Press Ctrl (Cmd ⌘ on Mac) + V to paste the data into the new sheet. You can also click on “Edit” in the File menu and select “Paste” to achieve the same result.
- The data from the original tab will now be pasted and displayed in the new workbook.
- Click on the “Share” button
- Click on the green “Share” button located at the top right of the screen.
- Specify sharing options and access permissions
- The contextual menu for sharing options will now appear. In the section titled “Anyone with access,” click on the dropdown option “Restricted” and select “Anyone with the link” from the menu.
To modify the access permissions for anyone with the link, select the dropdown options located to the right of the “Anyone with access” section. There are three options for access permissions:
- “Viewer”: Allows anyone with the link to only view the workbook, without the ability to comment or make changes to the data.
- “Commenter”: Allows any user with the link to view the data and make comments but cannot modify the data in any way.
- “Editor”: Grants editing permissions to users with the link. They can view, comment, and modify the data. Any changes made to the data will be reflected in other users with access.
- Click on “Copy link” and then “Done”
- Click on the “Copy link” button to copy the link to send to the user. Click on “Done” to apply the changes. All users you send the link to will now have access to the workbook.
Please note that any further modifications made to the original workbook (Workbook 1 in this example) will not be reflected in the new workbook.
Share a Sheet for Viewing Only Using IMPORTRANGE
By using IMPORTRANGE in a new workbook, we can share a sheet that can be updated when changes are made to the original table. Please note that this method does not support editing in the new workbook as it contradicts the IMPORTRANGE function, so it is recommended only for data viewing purposes.
As part of the demonstration below, example workbooks have been created. Access these workbooks and follow along by clicking the links below:
- Select the tab to share and copy the URL of the original sheet
- Click on the tab to share in the original workbook to select it. Then, copy the full URL from the address bar of your web browser. The URL begins with “https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets…..”
- Create a new workbook and select cell A1
- Create a new workbook in Google Sheets, then select cell A1 in the top-left corner of the screen.
- Enter the formula: =IMPORTRANGE(“URL”,”Sheet Name!A:Z”)
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In the selected cell, enter the formula in the following format:
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“=IMPORTRANGE(“URL”,”Sheet Name!A:Z”)”
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Here’s the breakdown of the formula:
- “IMPORTRANGE”: This function is used to import a range of data from another spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
- “URL”: This is the address of the original sheet’s website copied in the previous step. It must be placed between quotation marks (” “).
- “Sheet Name!”: The name of the sheet where the data is located in the referenced workbook, followed by an exclamation point (!). This must match the sheet name exactly. In our example, it would be “Sheet3!”
- “A:Z”: This is the range of cells in the tab to share. A:Z includes the entire range of the tab.
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In our example below, the formula is as follows:
- Authorize access to the data
- Once the IMPORTRANGE formula is entered, press Enter. You may see that the cell displays “#REF!”, which appears when attempting to access a spreadsheet for the first time. Click on the cell to display a contextual message asking for access. Click on “Allow access.”
- Adjust the workbook’s sharing options
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The data will now be displayed in the workbook. Note that only the data is displayed. Any cell formatting is not included in the import.
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Click on the green “Share” button located at the top right of the workbook.
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The sharing options menu will appear. In the “Anyone with access” section, click on the dropdown menu next to the padlock symbol, which is set to “Restricted” by default. Select “Anyone with the link” from the dropdown menu.
- Set the workbook’s access permissions
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When “Anyone with the link” is selected, a new dropdown menu appears to the right of the “Anyone with access” section. These options are the access permissions that will be applied to anyone accessing the workbook using the link.
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These access permissions are:
- “Viewer”: The recipient of the link will be able to view the data in the tab but will not be able to make changes or comments.
- “Commenter”: The recipient is allowed to comment; they can view and comment on the workbook but cannot modify the data. Comments will not break the IMPORTRANGE formula.
- “Editor”: The recipient of the link can view, comment, or modify the data. Note that this is not recommended for this method as any changes to the data will break the IMPORTRANGE formula.
- Click on “Copy link,” then “Done.” Share the link with the intended recipient
- Click on the “Copy link” button, which will copy the link to the workbook. Now click on the blue “Done” button. Share the link with the relevant people via a text method, and they will be able to use the link to access the tab.
These instructions will guide you in sharing individual sheets in Google Sheets in different ways. Take advantage of these tips to facilitate collaboration and sharing of essential information with your colleagues and work partners.
Crawlan.com is a website that offers other articles and helpful tips for optimizing your use of Google Sheets, as well as improving your marketing and search engine optimization skills. Be sure to check out our site for more information and interesting resources.
Now that you know these tips, share them with your friends and colleagues. Together, we can make our work more efficient and our professional lives more enjoyable.
