Use column-level data types to customize your worksheets.
In Spreadsheet.com it is easy to configure the data in each cell or column with data types. Use column-level data types to customize your worksheets. Plus, with column-level data types, you can restrict what users can input to only the type and formatting of data you want.
For instance, set columns to Currency and Date data types in a sales tracking worksheet. Or set columns to the User, Icon, and Select data type for the owner, RGB, and status columns in your project plan.
How to Change a Column's Data Type
Begin by selecting the column for which you want to change the data type. Right click on the column header or click the downward arrow to the right of the column name and select "Edit data type..." from the dropdown.
Or, select the column for which you want to change the data type and click the Edit data type button from the menu bar above the formula bar.
Selecting either option will open the Update column dialog, where you can specify the new data type for the column and rename it, if you wish.
Each data type has its own configuration settings that can be applied to the column. Configure the column to your liking and click the blue Update button at the bottom of the dialog to complete the change. Your column will automatically update to reflect the new data type chosen.
Setting a Column to Strict
All Data types can have Strict enabled. Selecting the Strict checkbox in the Update column dialog for a column will restrict users to input only data that matches that data type. Setting a column's data type to strict removes all data that does not match that data type.
Restrictions on the Primary Column
The primary column only supports alphanumeric data types. The data types that can be used in the primary column are:
While editing the data type of the primary column, you can change its data type to other alphanumeric data types only. Conversely, a column with any of the following data types cannot be designated as a primary column: Attachment, Related row, User, Checkbox, Select, Multiselect, Rating, Icon set, Related row lookup, and System columns (like Updated by and Created at).
Converting Between Data Types
When changing data types, you may convert existing data to the new data type. For more information on how data of one type converts to another, see our article on Converting the Data Type of Existing Data.
Learn more about working with data types in our Introduction to Data Types, or read on to find out more about Converting the Data Type of Existing Data and Data Validation with Strict Columns and Cells.