Overview

The Data menu in Google Sheets offers a range of tools and options for managing, analyzing, and organizing data within your spreadsheet. Here’s an overview of the key features found in the Data menu:

  1. Data cleanup: Access tools for cleaning and transforming data in your spreadsheet, including removing duplicates, trimming white spaces, and more.
  2. Data validation: Define rules and criteria for data entry in selected cells or ranges, ensuring data accuracy and consistency.
  3. Data sorting: Sort the data in selected cells or ranges based on specific criteria, such as ascending or descending order.
  4. Filter views: Create, manage, and apply filter views to display specific subsets of data while keeping the original data intact.
  5. Pivot table: Create a pivot table to summarize and analyze data, allowing you to group, filter, and aggregate information dynamically.
  6. Protect sheets and ranges: Set permissions and protection options for specific sheets or cell ranges to control who can edit or view them.
  7. Data connectors: Access data connectors to import data from external sources, such as Google Analytics, Google Ads, and more.
  8. Get data: Import data from various sources, including Google Sheets, Google Drive, and the web.
  9. Refresh all: Refresh data connections and update imported data from external sources.
  10. Slicer: Create slicers to filter and interact with pivot tables or charts visually.
  11. Create a filter: Apply a filter to a range to quickly sort and view data based on specific criteria.
  12. Randomize range: Randomize the order of data in a selected range.
  13. Data trim: Remove leading and trailing white spaces from text in cells.
  14. Split text to columns: Split text in a cell into multiple columns based on a delimiter.
  15. Named ranges: Manage named ranges in your spreadsheet for easier navigation and formula references.
  16. Data studio: Access Google Data Studio to create and share data visualizations and reports.
  17. Data source: Connect to data sources to import and manage external data.

These tools collectively help you manage your data more effectively, whether you’re cleaning up data entries, setting up data validation rules, or performing more advanced data analysis with pivot tables and filters.

Navigation in Data Menu Using Screen Readers

Using a screen reader in Google Sheets, you can access and use the functions in the Data menu by following these general steps:

  1. Open Google Sheets:
    • Launch your preferred web browser (e.g., Google Chrome).
    • Go to the Google Sheets website (sheets.google.com).
    • Sign in to your Google account if you haven’t already.
  2. Navigate to the Data Menu:
    • Once you’re in a Google Sheet, navigate to the Data menu at the top-left corner of the screen. You can usually access menus by pressing the Alt key (Windows) or Control key (Mac) along with the corresponding underlined letter. For example, Alt + A for the Data menu.
  3. Use Arrow Keys or Hotkeys:
    • Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate through the Data menu options. Your screen reader should read aloud the menu options as you navigate.
  4. Select an Option:
    • When you reach the desired Data menu option, press the Enter key or the hotkey associated with that option. For example, to create a pivot table, you might navigate to “Pivot table” and press Enter.
    1. Sort sheet by column
      1. Navigate to “Sort sheet by column” using the arrow keys.
      2. Use the right arrow key to expand the submenu.
      3. Select either “Sort sheet A-Z” or “Sort sheet Z-A” using the arrow keys.
      4. Press Enter to sort the sheet.
    2. Sort range
      1. Navigate to “Sort range” using the arrow keys.
      2. Use the right arrow key to expand the submenu.
      3. Select either “Sort range by column A-Z” or “Sort range by column Z-A” using the arrow keys.
      4. Press Enter to sort the range.
    3. Create a filter
      1. Navigate to “Create a filter” using the arrow keys.
      2. Press Enter to enable the filter.
    4. Data cleanup
      • Remove duplicates:
        1. Navigate to “Data cleanup” using the arrow keys.
        2. Use the right arrow key to expand the submenu.
        3. Select “Remove duplicates” using the arrow keys.
        4. Press Enter and follow the prompts to remove duplicates.
      • Trim whitespace:
        1. Navigate to “Data cleanup” using the arrow keys.
        2. Use the right arrow key to expand the submenu.
        3. Select “Trim whitespace” using the arrow keys.
        4. Press Enter to trim whitespace.
    5. Data validation
      1. Navigate to “Data validation” using the arrow keys.
      2. Press Enter to open the Data validation dialog.
      3. Use Tab and arrow keys to set your validation criteria.
      4. Press Enter to apply the validation.
    6. Named ranges
      1. Navigate to “Named ranges” using the arrow keys.
      2. Press Enter to open the Named ranges sidebar.
      3. Use Tab and arrow keys to name your range and set the range reference.
      4. Press Enter to save the named range.
    7. Protected sheets and ranges
      1. Navigate to “Protected sheets and ranges” using the arrow keys.
      2. Press Enter to open the Protected sheets and ranges sidebar.
      3. Use Tab and arrow keys to select the range and set permissions.
      4. Press Enter to save the protection settings.
    8. Split text to columns
      1. Select the column containing the text you want to split.
      2. Navigate to “Split text to columns” using the arrow keys.
      3. Press Enter to split the text.
      4. Use the Tab key to navigate to the delimiter option and select the desired delimiter.
      5. Press Enter to apply.
    9. Data connectors
      • Connect to BigQuery:
        1. Navigate to “Data connectors” using the arrow keys.
        2. Use the right arrow key to expand the submenu.
        3. Select “Connect to BigQuery” using the arrow keys.
        4. Press Enter and follow the prompts to connect.
    10. Pivot table
      1. Select the data range you want to use for the pivot table.
      2. Navigate to “Pivot table” using the arrow keys.
      3. Press Enter to create the pivot table.
      4. Use the Tab and arrow keys to configure the pivot table in the Pivot table editor sidebar.
    11. Group and ungroup rows/columns
      1. Select the rows or columns you want to group or ungroup.
      2. Navigate to “Group rows” or “Group columns” using the arrow keys.
      3. Press Enter to group or ungroup.
    12. Randomize range
      1. Select the range you want to randomize.
      2. Navigate to “Randomize range” using the arrow keys.
      3. Press Enter to randomize the range.
    13. Slicer
      1. Navigate to “Slicer” using the arrow keys.
      2. Press Enter to add a slicer.
      3. Use the Tab and arrow keys to configure the slicer.
    14. Filter views
      1. Navigate to “Filter views” using the arrow keys.
      2. Use the right arrow key to expand the submenu.
      3. Select “Create new filter view” using the arrow keys.
      4. Press Enter to create the filter view.
      5. Use the Tab and arrow keys to configure the filter view.
  5. Perform Actions:
    • Depending on your chosen option, you’ll be presented with different actions. Use your screen reader’s commands to interact with and complete these actions. For example, if you selected “Pivot table,” you’ll need to specify the data range and pivot table settings.
  6. Navigate Within Submenus:
    • Some options in the Data menu may have submenus, such as “Pivot table” or “Data cleanup.” If you encounter submenus, you can navigate into them by pressing the right arrow key or using the corresponding hotkey.
  7. Navigate Back:
    • To navigate back to the main Data menu or to exit submenus, use the left arrow key or the appropriate screen reader command.
  8. Close the Data Menu:
    • After you’ve completed your desired action in the Data menu, you can usually press the Escape key or a screen reader command to close the Data menu.