📋 Verified Walkthrough
Computers • Everyday Basics

How do I make and edit a spreadsheet, including adding and switching between multiple tabs or pages?

Direct Answer

Open Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets, choose "Blank spreadsheet," click any box (cell) to type words or numbers, and click the plus sign (+) at the bottom of your screen to add and switch between multiple tabs (pages) for different months or lists.

Why You Might Want to Do This

  • To easily organize monthly household budgets, medical bills, holiday gift lists, home inventories, or club member rosters in neat rows and columns.
  • To use separate tabs (pages) at the bottom for different months, years, or family projects without cluttering your main screen.
  • To let the computer automatically add up columns of numbers (like your total monthly expenses) so you never need a manual calculator.

Before You Start

  • A computer (Windows or Mac), tablet, or phone with Microsoft Excel, Apple Numbers, or a web browser to open free Google Sheets (sheets.google.com).
  • A mouse or keyboard ready for entering numbers and text.

Web-based spreadsheets like Google Sheets and Excel Online save your work automatically every second as you type.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. 1

    Open Excel or Google Sheets and start a Blank Spreadsheet

    On your computer, open Microsoft Excel from your Start menu or Applications folder, or open your web browser and go to sheets.google.com. Click the large white box with a plus sign labeled "Blank workbook" or "Blank spreadsheet."

    👀 Plus sign (+) icon labeled "Blank spreadsheet" or "New Workbook."

  2. 2

    Click any box (cell) to type your labels and numbers

    Spreadsheets are made of grid boxes called "cells," labeled by letters across the top (columns) and numbers down the left side (rows). Click inside top box A1, type a title like "Expense" or "Item," and press Enter or the Tab key on your keyboard to move to the next box.

    👀 Grid box with a colored border when clicked.

    3. ✅ Success Checkpoint: You're Doing Great

    If your screen matches the description above, you have followed the steps correctly. Continue to the next step.

  3. 3

    Edit mistakes and adjust column width so words fit

    To change text in any box, double-click inside it and type your correction. If words look cut off, move your mouse pointer to the line between letter columns at the very top (between column A and B) until the cursor turns into a double-headed arrow, then double-click or drag it to widen the column.

    👀 Double-headed arrow cursor (⟷) between column letters.

  4. 4

    Add more tabs (pages) using the plus (+) button at the bottom

    Look at the bottom-left corner of your spreadsheet screen. You will see a tab labeled "Sheet1" (or "Sheet 1"). Click the small plus sign (+) button right next to it. A fresh, clean blank page labeled "Sheet2" will appear immediately in the exact same file.

    👀 Small plus button (+) next to "Sheet1" at the bottom-left.

  5. 5

    Switch between and rename your tabs for easy organizing

    Click on any tab name at the bottom to jump instantly between your pages. To give a tab a clear name (like "January" or "Medicine Tracker"), double-click its tab at the bottom, type the new name, and press Enter.

    👀 Tabs at bottom: "January," "February," "Annual Summary."

  6. 6

    Automatically add up a column of numbers (AutoSum / Total)

    Click the empty box directly beneath a column of numbers. Click the "AutoSum" button (the Greek sigma symbol Σ in the top toolbar), or type =SUM( and highlight your numbers with your mouse, then press Enter. The total calculation appears automatically!

    👀 Greek Sigma symbol (Σ AutoSum) in top toolbar.

If You Don't See It / Troubleshooting

If you have many tabs and cannot see them all at the bottom

Look at the bottom-left corner near the tabs for small left and right arrow buttons (◀ ▶). Click these arrows to scroll through and reveal hidden tab pages.

If you made an accidental change or deleted something by mistake

Press Ctrl + Z on Windows (or Command + Z on Mac) on your keyboard to instantly undo your last action.

Good to Know

  • To duplicate a tab (such as copying January's layout for February), right-click the tab at the bottom, click "Duplicate" or "Move or Copy," and check "Create a copy."
  • You can color-code tabs by right-clicking a tab at the bottom and selecting "Tab Color" (or "Change color").
  • To print your spreadsheet or save it as a PDF document, click "File" in the top menu and select "Print."