Top Interview Questions for Google Sheets Experts – and How to Answer Them
Ace Your Next Interview With Confidence and Real-World Examples
As more businesses shift to cloud-based tools, Google Sheets has become an essential part of data management, collaboration, and automation—especially for startups, remote teams, and data-driven workflows.
If you’re applying for a role as a data analyst, business assistant, operations specialist, or freelancer, chances are you’ll be asked to demonstrate strong Google Sheets skills.
This blog shares the most common Google Sheets interview questions, why they matter, and how to answer them like a pro.
1. What makes Google Sheets different from Excel?
Why they ask: To test your understanding of Google Sheets’ unique features.
Sample Answer:
“Google Sheets is cloud-based and designed for real-time collaboration. It integrates with other Google Workspace tools and is ideal for distributed teams. While Excel has some advanced analytics features, Google Sheets shines in automation with Apps Script, easy sharing, and integration with add-ons and APIs.”
2. What formulas do you use most in Google Sheets?
Why they ask: To understand your technical depth.
Sample Answer:
“I regularly use ARRAYFORMULA, IMPORTRANGE, QUERY, VLOOKUP, FILTER, and IFERROR. These let me automate calculations, pull data from other sheets, and create dynamic dashboards.”
3. How do you use the QUERY function?
Why they ask: QUERY is a power tool in Google Sheets.
Sample Answer:
“I use QUERY() to filter and summarize large datasets using SQL-like syntax. For example, I might use it to display total sales by region or pull records for a specific date range. It’s especially useful when I want more flexibility than filtering or PivotTables provide.”
4. What’s the difference between FILTER and QUERY?
Why they ask: To test function knowledge and use cases.
Sample Answer:
“FILTER() is great for quickly returning rows that meet specific conditions, while QUERY() allows more complex filtering, sorting, and aggregation using SQL-style commands. I choose FILTER() for speed, and QUERY() when I need more control.”
5. How do you pull data from another Google Sheet or spreadsheet?
Why they ask: To assess your data consolidation skills.
Sample Answer:
“I use the IMPORTRANGE() function, which connects different spreadsheets. I always ensure I grant access the first time it’s used. I often combine it with QUERY() to bring in only the rows or columns I need.”
6. Can you automate tasks in Google Sheets? How?
Why they ask: Automation is a huge time-saver for teams.
Sample Answer:
“Yes, I automate tasks using Google Apps Script. I’ve built scripts that send daily emails with attached reports, auto-clean data, and update dashboards with a single button. I also use triggers to schedule tasks automatically.”
7. How do you manage permissions and sharing in Google Sheets?
Why they ask: To ensure you can handle collaborative environments.
Sample Answer:
“I manage permissions using Google’s sharing options—giving edit, view, or comment access as needed. I also use Protected Ranges to prevent accidental edits and sometimes link sheets in View Only mode to avoid unauthorized changes.”
8. Have you worked with data validation or dropdowns?
Why they ask: These are important for input control and form workflows.
Sample Answer:
“Yes, I use Data Validation to create dropdowns, limit inputs to specific values, and reduce errors. I often link these to named ranges or dynamic lists using INDIRECT() or FILTER().”
9. Have you built a dashboard in Google Sheets? What did it include?
Why they ask: Dashboards are key for reporting and decision-making.
Sample Answer:
“I’ve built interactive dashboards using charts, slicers (via dropdowns), conditional formatting, and summary tables. I pull live data from forms or spreadsheets and automate updates using QUERY() and IMPORTRANGE().”
10. How do you clean messy data in Google Sheets?
Why they ask: Data cleaning is a core skill.
Sample Answer:
“I use a combination of functions like TRIM(), SPLIT(), REGEXREPLACE(), and CLEAN() to remove unwanted spaces, split text, and fix inconsistencies. I also use conditional formatting to highlight duplicates and errors, and UNIQUE() to remove repeated rows.”
Bonus Behavioral Question:
“Tell me about a project where Google Sheets helped improve a workflow.”
Use the STAR method to describe a specific problem, what you did, and the result.
Final Thoughts
Being a Google Sheets expert today means more than formulas—it means working smarter with automation, collaboration, and scalable data solutions. If you can show how you’ve solved real problems and built efficient systems, you’ll stand out in any interview.
Want to Become Interview-Ready?
At W3SKILLSET, we help professionals and freelancers master Google Sheets, AppSheet, and automation tools so they can grow their careers and freelance businesses.