How to Use Gemini in Google Sheets (Ask Gemini and the =AI Function)

Spreadsheets are where a lot of real work happens, and where many people get stuck on formulas. Gemini in Google Sheets lets you describe what you want in plain English: build a table, write a formula, make a chart, or categorize hundreds of rows of text. This guide shows both main features, Ask Gemini and the =AI() function, with prompts and limits.

Requirements

• An eligible Google Workspace or Google AI plan. Business and education editions vary, so check with your admin.
• A computer browser. The side panel is designed for desktop.
• A native Google Sheets file. For Excel files, use File → Save as Google Sheets first.
• A supported language setting.

Part 1: Ask Gemini (side panel)

According to Google's help center, Gemini in Sheets can create tables and formulas, analyze data, build charts and graphs, and summarize information from Gmail and Drive files. It can also act on the sheet, for example:

• apply conditional formatting
• create a pivot table
• add a dropdown or checkbox
• sort, filter, find and replace
• insert, delete or freeze rows and columns
• format a table or set a number format

How to use it

1. Open the spreadsheet and click Ask Gemini (top right).
2. Choose a suggested prompt or type your own, then press Enter.
3. Review the preview and apply it. Use Undo if needed.
4. With several tabs, use the dropdown in the prompt box to focus on specific tabs.

Tip: Insert useful outputs into the sheet straight away. The conversation history is lost when you reload the page, reopen the file or go offline.

Prompts that work well in the side panel

Create a table to track monthly household expenses with columns for date, category, description, amount and payment method.

Write a formula in column F that shows "Late" if the due date in column D is before today and status in E is not "Done".

Create a pivot table showing total hours per team member per week.

Highlight duplicate email addresses in column B.

Summarize the main trends in this data in 5 bullet points.

Part 2: The =AI() function

The AI function runs a prompt in a cell, which is ideal for working through many rows of text. You can type =AI() or =Gemini(). Google lists these uses:

• Generate text (product descriptions, slogans, replies)
• Summarize long text
• Categorize and analyze sentiment
• Get real-time information from Google Search

Syntax and steps

=AI("prompt", [optional range])
=AI("Classify this customer comment as Positive, Neutral or Negative", B2)

1. Type the function in a cell (or use Insert → Function → AI).
2. Fill it down the column.
3. Select the cells and click Generate and Insert.
4. To refresh, use Refresh and Insert. For web-based answers, hover to see Sources.

Tables also have an Insert AI column option, and Gemini can fill columns based on a pattern from existing rows.

Limits of the AI function

• Responses are text only.
• It can't see the whole spreadsheet or your Drive. Pass the data with the range argument.
• You can't undo the function. Regenerate instead.
• It can't be nested inside other formulas (for example inside IF).
• There are short-term and long-term generation limits.

Real examples

Small business: tidy product feedback

Column A has 300 customer comments. In B, use =AI("Category: delivery, quality, price or other", A2). In C, use =AI("Summarize in 6 words", A2). Then ask Gemini for a pivot table by category.

Teacher: organize assignment data

Ask Gemini to add a dropdown for "Submitted / Late / Missing" and highlight missing ones in red. Need help with comments for students? See AI for report card comments.

Personal: trip budget

"Create a travel budget table for a 7-day trip with daily totals and a chart by category."

Gemini in Sheets vs Claude for Excel vs Copilot

If you work mainly in Microsoft Excel, Copilot in Excel or Claude are alternatives. See how to use Claude for Excel. Gemini's advantage is native integration with Google Sheets, Gmail and Drive.

Accuracy tips

• Check formulas on a few rows before trusting a whole column.
• For important numbers, verify with standard functions (SUM, COUNTIF).
• Keep a copy of the original data before bulk actions.

Gemini in Sheets on a budget

No eligible plan? You can still use the free Gemini app: paste a small table (without personal data) and ask for a formula, then copy the formula into your sheet. It's less convenient than the side panel, but it works for occasional help.

Five starter prompts to try today

1. "Create a weekly meal planner table with columns for each day and rows for breakfast, lunch and dinner."
2. "Add a checkbox column called Done and highlight completed rows in green."
3. "What's the average, highest and lowest value in column C?"
4. "Create a chart comparing this year with last year by month."
5. "Freeze the header row and format the table."

Summary

Gemini in Google Sheets has two tools: Ask Gemini for building and changing your sheet with plain-language requests, and the =AI() function for processing text row by row. With an eligible plan, it removes most formula frustration. Just check results on a sample before relying on them.

Frequently asked questions