Use the best column type for your data

Column types help you control what data is allowed in columns—use specific types to ensure more consistent data entry. You can also add a column description to provide more information about your column.

If you’re the sheet Owner or Admin, you can prevent others from adding free text to column cells or form fields.

To change a column type

You can’t change the column type of a primary column and project settings columns.

1. Hover your pointer over the column header. 
2. Select Column Menu . 
3. Choose Edit Column Properties.

A shorter way to change the column type is by double-clicking the column header.

Include a column description

Explain important information about a column in a custom tooltip. For example, use a column description to document what type of data you expect the column to contain.

To create a column description

Before you begin

• You must be the sheet Owner or shared with Admin-level permissions to add or edit a column description.
• You can add only up to 250 characters in the column description. However, this limit may vary depending on the language or character type you use.

1. Right-click a column header. 
2. Select Add Column Description.
3. Type your column description in the form. 
4. Select OK.  

That's it! Now anyone shared to the sheet can view the column description.

View the column description

You can’t view column descriptions in reports and dashboards. Column descriptions are visible only in sheets. 

You’ll know a column has a description if you see this icon: . To view the column description:

• Hover your pointer over . You'll see the tooltip with the column description in it.  
  

Edit column description information

1. Right-click the column header.
2. Select Edit Column Description.
3. In the Column Description form, make your desired changes. 
4. Select OK.