Google Sheets Material
Outline and Exercises
AFB and Google Train the Trainer workshop
December 2016
You are welcome to link to and use this material. Since it might be updated in the future, it is best to point to this page rather than copy the material.
Introduction
With Google Sheets you can handle task lists, create project plans, analyze data with charts and filters, and much more. You can create and edit spreadsheets right in your web browser—no special software is required. Even better, multiple people can work at the same time, you can see people’s changes as they make them, and every change is saved automatically.
Sheets is a web application (as well as Docs and Slides). As such, the interaction model is more like a desktop application than a flat web page. Docs, Sheets and Slides all have an application menu, context menu, toolbars and edit area.
The screen reader should automatically enter application mode when you open a Doc, Sheet or Presentation. If it does not, turn off virtual cursor if using JAWS or switch to focus mode if using NVDA. The screen reader should remain in application mode when working on the content, accessing the menus or accessing the tool bars. When a dialog is opened (e.g. sharing), The screen reader can remain in application/forms mode. However, to access some info in the dialogs, you may wish to turn virtual cursor on if using JAWS or switch to browse mode if using NVDA.
For more information on how to use Google Sheets , including a one-time setup step, check out the getting started resources listed below:
Exercises
Note that these exercises are based on usage of an account that has been setup for the AFB train the trainer workshop.
Exercise 1 - Enter Basic Data and Formula
- Create a Google Sheets file in the exercises folder.
- Create an Order sheet with:
- Column 1 description
- Column 2 quantity
- Column 3 price
- Column 4 total
- Enter about 3 rows of data.
- Enter a formula to sum the quantities, and totals.
Hints:
- In My Drive, open the create or new menu by typing c
- Or quickly create a Google Sheets by typing S (capital S)
- To enter text into an empty cell, type the text and press enter.
- To modify an existing cell, press enter to edit, the left/right arrow keys to move cursor and type, enter when done editing.
- To enter a formula type = as first character.
- Formula can be copied from row to row using ctrl+c and ctrl+p
Exercise 2 - Multiple Sheets
- Rename the first sheet as Order 1.
- Create new sheet and rename it to Order 2.
- Copy the content from Order 1 into Order 2.
- Change a few items in Order 2 so quantity and totals are different.
- Add a new sheet and call it Orders.
- In Orders sheet, add three rows with two columns:
- Order Name
- Total Price, and populate this cell with total from the two order sheets
Hints:
- To move to another sheet use the sheet navigation menu by typing: alt+shift+k
- To rename a sheet use the sheet menu by typing: alt+shift+s
- To insert a sheet use the insert menu by typing: alt+shift+i
- To reference a cell in another sheet use the syntax sheetname!cell (for example Order1!d6).
Exercise 3 - Formatting
- Change the column headers to be bold.
- Change the order total to be dollar formatted.
Hints:
- Use the format menu by typing: alt+shift+o
- Can bold by typing: ctrl+b
- To check current formatting, use the accessibility menu: alt+shift+a
Exercise 4 - Work with Columns and Rows
- Turn on always read row and column titles.
- Move around the sheet and notice the titles being announced.
- Turn off title announcements
- Move to the last cell with content in the sheet.
- Use the shortcuts to read the column and row.
- Insert multiple rows and add content to those rows (e.g. copy and paste).
- Analyze the quantity column.
- Sort based on unit cost.
- Undo sort.
Hints:
- Adjust column/row title verbalization using the speak submenu in the accessibility menu.
- Shortcut for reading column is control+alt+shift+c
- Shortcut for reading row is control+alt+shift+r
- Use the analyze data menu item from the speak submenu in the accessibility menu.
- Entire column is selected with control+space
- Entire row is selected with shift+space
- Use the sort menu item under the data menu.
Exercise 5 - Collaborators
- Partner up with a person sitting next to you.
- Both of you open the same document.
- Move around in the file and notice the collaborator announcements.
- Turn off collaborator announcements.
- Review who has the file open.
Hints:
- Use the accessibility menu plus accelerators to toggle on/off collaborator announcements+shift+a s c
- To reach the list of people in the file, open the file menu and then press shift+tab
Exercise 6 - Share a File
- Use the share item in the file menu to Share your file with user: a11ytrainer1@gmail.com and the person to your right.
- Unshare the file with a11y.trainer1
Hints:
- Open the file menu by typing alt+shift+f
- Share the file with: a11ytrainer1@gmail.com
- In the sharing dialog, activate the advanced link to have a dialog with buttons to remove people and to alter sharing permissions.
Exercise 7 - Comments
- Add several comments in the document.
- Move to next/previous comments.
- Read existing comments.
- +Tag your partner with in a comment.
Hints:
- To add a comment, first select text and then open comment dialog by typing: Ctrl+Alt+m
- Move to next comment by typing: Control+Alt+n, Control+Alt+c
- Move to the next comment using the accessibility menu alt+shift+a c n
- Open comment dialog by typing: Ctrl+Alt+e, Control+Alt+c
- Read through comment dialog using screen reader keystrokes (be sure to switch to browse mode if using NVDA).
- To tag someone in a comment, type in +user id (plus sign and user account).