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Rows, columns, frozen panes and tabs

Insert, delete, resize, rename and move rows and columns, freeze header rows and columns, group them to fold away, and work with sheet tabs.

All plansUpdated

The grid grows and changes with your data. Add rows and columns where you need them, size them to their contents, move them around, freeze the headings so they stay in view, and fold away detail you do not need to see. A spreadsheet can also hold several sheets, each on its own tab.

Before you start

  • Plans. Everything here is on every plan.
  • Formulas keep up. When you insert, delete or move rows and columns, formulas are updated to point at the same cells. See Formulas, functions and named ranges.

Insert rows and columns

  • Toolbar: Insert row above adds a row above the selected cell, and Insert column left adds a column to its left.
  • Menu: Insert > Row above, Row below, Column left or Column right.
  • Right-click a column's letter for Insert column left and Insert column right, or a row's number for Insert row above and Insert row below.
  • Add row, under the grid, adds a row at the bottom.

Delete rows and columns

  • Toolbar: Delete row or Delete column removes the row or column of the selected cell.
  • Right-click a column's letter and choose Delete column, or a row's number and choose Delete row.

A sheet always keeps at least one row and one column. Undo brings back anything deleted by mistake.

Name a column

Each column heading shows the column's letter and, beside it, its name. Click the name and type a new one. Names label your data for people, AI fill, the assistant and pivot tables; formulas still use the letters.

Resize rows and columns

  • Column width: drag the right edge of the column's heading.
  • Fit a column to its contents: double-click the right edge of its heading. The column widens or narrows to fit its longest value.
  • Row height: drag the bottom edge of the row's number.

Move rows and columns

  1. Select the whole column or row by clicking its letter or number. Drag across several to select a block.
  2. Press on the selected heading again and drag it to its new place. A line shows where it will go.
  3. Let go.

If the move would change what some formulas point at, PlexiiSheets asks first, under This move affects formulas:

  • Auto-fix & move moves it and updates the formulas, so every result stays the same.
  • Move without fixing moves it and leaves the formulas as they were written.
  • Cancel leaves everything where it was.

Freeze header rows and columns

Freezing keeps the top rows or left columns in view while you scroll through the rest.

  1. Right-click the number of the last row you want to keep in view, such as row 1 for a heading row.
  2. Choose Freeze up to this row.

For columns, right-click a column's letter and choose Freeze up to this column. A firmer line marks the edge of the frozen area.

To unfreeze, right-click any row number and choose Unfreeze rows, or any column letter and choose Unfreeze columns.

Group rows or columns to fold them away

Grouping lets you hide detail rows, such as the line items under a subtotal, and show them again with one click.

  1. Select at least two rows by dragging across their numbers, or two columns by their letters.
  2. Right-click one of them and choose Group selected rows or Group selected columns.
  3. A small arrow appears beside the first row number or column letter of the group. Click it to fold the group away, so only its first row or column shows; click again to open it.

To remove a group, right-click a row or column in it and choose Ungroup rows or Ungroup columns.

Sheet tabs

A spreadsheet can hold several sheets. Their tabs run along the bottom of the editor.

To Do this
Add a sheet Click + (Add sheet) after the last tab, or choose Insert > Sheet. New sheets are called "Sheet 2", "Sheet 3" and so on.
Switch sheets Click a tab.
Rename a sheet Double-click its tab, type the name and press Enter. Esc cancels.
Delete a sheet Rest the pointer on its tab and click its × (Delete sheet). The last sheet cannot be deleted.

Deleting a sheet happens straight away. To get it back, press ⌘ Z on a Mac or Ctrl Z on Windows.

To use a value from another sheet in a formula, write the sheet's name and an exclamation mark before the cell, such as =Sheet2!B4. See Formulas, functions and named ranges.

Common questions

Delete row removed only one row. The toolbar's Delete row removes the row of the selected cell. To remove several, delete them one at a time, or select the cells and press Delete to empty them instead.

My frozen rows are not the ones I wanted. Freezing keeps every row from the top down to the one you right-clicked. Choose Unfreeze rows, then right-click the right row and freeze again.

I renamed a sheet and my formulas show an error. Formulas refer to other sheets by name. Change Sheet2! in those formulas to the new name.

Still need help? Contact support at [email protected].