Transferring data between Google Sheets can significantly improve your workflow by automating data consolidation and ensuring consistency across multiple sheets. Rather than manually copying and pasting data, you can utilize the IMPORTRANGE() function to seamlessly import data from one sheet to another.

Import a cell from one Google Sheet to another

Step 1: In your destination sheet, click on the cell where you want the imported data to appear and type =IMPORTRANGE( to begin the function.

Step 2: Navigate to the source Google Sheet containing the data you want to import. Copy the unique spreadsheet ID from the URL in your browser's address bar. The ID is the long string of characters between /d/ and /edit in the URL.

Step 3: Return to your destination sheet and paste the copied spreadsheet ID into the IMPORTRANGE() function, enclosed in double quotation marks. It should look like =IMPORTRANGE("spreadsheet_id".

Step 4: After the spreadsheet ID, type a comma and then specify the sheet name and cell reference you wish to import, also enclosed in double quotation marks. Use an exclamation mark to separate the sheet name and cell reference, like "Sheet1!B8". The full function should now look like =IMPORTRANGE("spreadsheet_id","Sheet1!B8").

Tip: The sheet name (also called the sheet label) can be found at the bottom of the Google Sheets window. It is "Sheet1" by default, but you can rename it to something more descriptive by right-clicking the tab and selecting "Rename". Renaming sheets helps prevent confusion when working with multiple sheets.

Step 5: Close the parentheses to complete the function and press Enter. The cell should now display the imported data. If you see an error message, don't worry; this is normal when connecting sheets for the first time.

If an error occurs, it may look like this:

Step 6: Click on the cell with the error message. A prompt will appear asking you to grant access to the source sheet. Click the "Allow access" button to authorize the connection.

Once access is granted, the data from the specified cell in the source sheet will appear in your destination sheet.

Import a column from one Google Sheet to another

Step 1: In your destination sheet, select the cell where you want the imported column data to begin and type =IMPORTRANGE(. Include the spreadsheet ID as before.

Step 2: Specify the range of the column you want to import by defining the starting and ending cells of the column. For example, to import all data from column B, you might use "Sheet1!B1:B100", where B1 is the first cell and B100 is the last cell in the column range you wish to import. Adjust the ending cell according to your data.

Step 3: Close the function with a parenthesis and press Enter. If prompted, allow access to the source sheet. The specified column data will now populate in your destination sheet, starting from the selected cell.

Import an entire table from one Google Sheet to another

Step 1: In the destination sheet, click on the cell where you want the top-left corner of the imported table to appear and start typing the IMPORTRANGE() function with the spreadsheet ID.

Step 2: Define the range of the table by specifying the top-left cell and the bottom-right cell of the data range you want to import. For example, "Sheet1!A1:D10" will import all data in the rectangle from cell A1 to D10.

Step 3: Complete the function with a closing parenthesis and press Enter. After granting access if prompted, the entire table will be imported into your destination sheet, maintaining the original formatting and structure.

By using the IMPORTRANGE() function, you can efficiently manage and synchronize data across multiple Google Sheets, ensuring that any updates made in the source sheet are automatically reflected in the destination sheet without manual intervention.