10 Google Spreadsheet Interview Questions and Answers

Google Spreadsheets has become an essential tool for data management and analysis, offering a versatile platform for tasks ranging from simple data entry to complex data manipulation. Its cloud-based nature allows for real-time collaboration, making it a preferred choice for teams and individuals alike. With a user-friendly interface and powerful functions, Google Spreadsheets is a critical skill for anyone involved in data-driven roles.

This article provides a curated selection of interview questions designed to test your proficiency with Google Spreadsheets. By familiarizing yourself with these questions and their answers, you can confidently demonstrate your expertise and problem-solving abilities in any interview setting.

Google Spreadsheet Interview Questions and Answers

1. Write a formula to calculate the average of a range of cells, excluding any blank cells.

To calculate the average of a range of cells in Google Sheets while excluding blank cells, use the AVERAGEIF function. This function allows you to specify a condition for inclusion in the average calculation.

Example:

=AVERAGEIF(A1:A10, "<>")

In this formula, A1:A10 is the range, and “<>” excludes blank cells. The AVERAGEIF function considers only non-blank cells for the average.

2. How would you apply conditional formatting to highlight cells that contain dates within the last 30 days?

Conditional formatting in Google Sheets lets you automatically apply formatting to cells meeting specific criteria. To highlight cells with dates within the last 30 days, use a custom formula in the conditional formatting rules.

Steps:

1. Select the range of cells for conditional formatting.
2. Go to Format > Conditional formatting.
3. In the Conditional format rules panel, choose “Custom formula is.”
4. Enter:

      =AND(ISDATE(A1), A1 >= TODAY() - 30)
   

   Replace A1 with the first cell in your range.

5. Choose the desired formatting style.
6. Click “Done” to apply the rule.

This formula checks if the cell contains a date within the last 30 days. If so, the specified formatting is applied.

3. Describe how you would set up data validation to only allow entries that are email addresses.

Data validation in Google Sheets controls the type of data entered into cells. To allow only email addresses, use a custom formula to check the input format.

Steps:

• Select the range for data validation.
• Go to “Data” > “Data validation.”
• In “Criteria,” choose “Custom formula is.”
• Enter: =REGEXMATCH(A1, "^[a-zA-Z0-9._%+-]+@[a-zA-Z0-9.-]+\.[a-zA-Z]{2,}$")
• Select “Show warning” or “Reject input” based on preference.
• Optionally, add a custom error message.
• Click “Save” to apply.

This formula uses REGEXMATCH to ensure the input matches a valid email pattern.

4. Write an array formula to multiply each value in column A by the corresponding value in column B and sum the results.

In Google Sheets, an array formula performs calculations on a range of cells. To multiply each value in column A by the corresponding value in column B and sum the results, use:

=SUM(ARRAYFORMULA(A:A * B:B))

This formula multiplies each element in column A by the corresponding element in column B and sums the results.

5. Write a query function to filter rows where the value in column A is greater than 100 and sort the results by column B in descending order.

To filter rows where the value in column A is greater than 100 and sort by column B in descending order, use the QUERY function in Google Sheets.

Example:

=QUERY(A1:B, "SELECT A, B WHERE A > 100 ORDER BY B DESC", 1)

In this example:

• A1:B specifies the data range.
• "SELECT A, B WHERE A > 100 ORDER BY B DESC" is the query string.
• 1 indicates the first row contains headers.

6. How would you use regular expressions in a formula to extract all digits from a text string in a cell?

In Google Sheets, regular expressions can extract specific patterns from text strings. Use the REGEXEXTRACT function to extract all digits from a text string.

Example:

=REGEXEXTRACT(A1, "\d+")

Here, A1 is the cell with the text string, and \d+ matches one or more digits. REGEXEXTRACT returns the first occurrence of the pattern.

7. Provide an example of using data cleaning techniques to remove duplicates and handle missing values.

Data cleaning in Google Sheets ensures data accuracy. Two common tasks are removing duplicates and handling missing values.

To remove duplicates:

• Select the range to check for duplicates.
• Go to Data > Data cleanup > Remove duplicates.
• Choose columns for duplicate detection and click Remove duplicates.

Handling missing values:

• Use IF to replace missing values, e.g., =IF(A2="", "Default Value", A2).
• Use FILTER to exclude rows with missing values, e.g., =FILTER(A2:B, A2:A <> "").
• Use ARRAYFORMULA with IF for entire columns, e.g., =ARRAYFORMULA(IF(A2:A="", "Default Value", A2:A)).

8. Explain how to use advanced formulas like VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, INDEX, and MATCH.

Advanced formulas like VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, INDEX, and MATCH in Google Sheets are tools for data retrieval.

VLOOKUP searches for a value in the first column and returns a value from a specified column.

Example:

=VLOOKUP("Apple", A2:B10, 2, FALSE)

HLOOKUP searches for a value in the first row and returns a value from a specified row.

Example:

=HLOOKUP("Q1", A1:D5, 3, FALSE)

INDEX returns a cell value from a specified row and column.

Example:

=INDEX(A1:C10, 4, 2)

MATCH finds a value’s position in a range.

Example:

=MATCH("Banana", A1:A10, 0)

Combine INDEX and MATCH for flexible data retrieval.

Example:

=INDEX(B1:B10, MATCH("Apple", A1:A10, 0))

9. Describe the steps to customize a chart for better data visualization.

To customize a chart for better visualization in Google Sheets:

• Select the Chart: Click on the chart to select it.
• Open the Chart Editor: Click the three vertical dots and select “Edit chart.”
• Customize the Chart Type: In “Setup,” change the chart type.
• Adjust Data Range: Ensure the data range is correct.
• Customize Chart Style: In “Customize,” adjust style options like titles and gridlines.
• Modify Series: Change colors and styles for readability.
• Add Data Labels: Display values directly on the chart.
• Adjust Axis Options: Customize scale and titles for readability.
• Apply Filters: Focus on specific data points or ranges.

10. How would you share a spreadsheet with a colleague, allowing them to comment but not edit the content? Also, explain how to view the version history.

To share a Google Spreadsheet with a colleague, allowing comments but not edits:

• Open the spreadsheet.
• Click “Share” at the top-right.
• Enter the colleague’s email address.
• Select “Commenter” from the dropdown menu.
• Click “Send” to share.

To view version history:

• Open the spreadsheet.
• Click “File” in the top menu.
• Select “Version history” > “See version history.”
• View changes, including timestamps and user names.