Guides

AI for Sheets

AI Agents

Use AI Agents in Google Sheets to analyze ranges, rewrite values, apply formatting, add formulas, and run follow-up prompts in one sidebar workflow.

AI Agents is the Sheets-only AI workspace for larger spreadsheet tasks. Instead of running one narrow command, you describe the result you want, and the tool can answer questions, clean data, apply formatting, add formulas, or set filters from the same sidebar session.

Google Sheets

Google Sheets Only

AI Agents is currently available in Google Sheets™ only.

Where To Find It

You can open AI Agents from either surface:

  • Sidebar: open the add-on sidebar, then expand AI Agents
  • Editor menu: Extensions → Text To Table Converter → 🚀 AI Agents

Run Your First Prompt

  1. Open a Google Sheet and select a small test range.
  2. Open AI Agents from the sidebar or the 🚀 AI Agents menu item.
  3. Keep Use the selected range only enabled for the safest first run.
  4. Enter a simple prompt such as Standardize the text in this range.
  5. Click Run.
  6. Review the transcript and the updated cells.

What AI Agents Can Do

  • Answer read-only questions about a selected range
  • Rewrite values for cleanup, standardization, extraction, categorization, or normalization
  • Apply direct formatting such as bold text, text color, and background color
  • Apply conditional formatting rules
  • Add formulas in a final spreadsheet pass
  • Apply filters after value cleanup
  • Continue the same task with follow-up prompts in the active sidebar session

How The Workflow Behaves

  • Question-or-modify routing: read-only prompts can return an answer without editing the sheet
  • Selection-aware scope: keep Use the selected range only enabled when you want the run limited to your current selection
  • Automatic range detection: if you turn that option off, AI Agents can use the first main data region in the active sheet
  • Chunked processing: larger modification jobs can run in chunks instead of a single writeback
  • Guarded overwrite behavior: the tool can pause and ask before writing outside the selected range
  • Transcript and follow-ups: prompts and results stay visible in the active sidebar session, and a second prompt can queue while the current one is still running

Key Options

  • Use the selected range only

Keeps the task scoped to your current selection. This is the recommended default for first-time use.

  • Web Search

Turn this on only when your prompt depends on current or external information.

  • Apply Formatting

Allows direct formatting changes such as bolding, colors, and emphasis.

  • Apply Conditional Formatting

Allows rule-based highlighting after the main data work is complete.

  • Apply Final Formula Pass

Allows formula-based output after row-by-row edits finish.

  • Apply Filters

Allows the agent to create or update filters on the final range.

Strong Prompt Patterns

  • Standardize all status labels in column C to Open, In Progress, or Closed.
  • Summarize the main anomalies in this range without modifying any values.
  • Rewrite notes in column D to be shorter, then highlight overdue rows in red.
  • Normalize revenue values, add a margin formula in column F, and add a filter for active accounts.

Good prompts make three things clear:

  • what should change
  • where it should change
  • what the final output should look like

Recommended First-Time Plan

  1. Start with a small sample range.
  2. Keep Use the selected range only enabled.
  3. Run one read-only prompt first.
  4. Run one small cleanup prompt second.
  5. Only then try formatting or formula-related prompts.
  6. Use follow-up prompts in the same sidebar session instead of jumping straight to a very large range.

Limits And Notes

  • AI Agents is available in Google Sheets™ only.
  • Chat history stays in the current sidebar session and does not persist as a long-term conversation log.
  • Very large ranges can still hit model or execution limits even with chunked processing.
  • Array-style formulas are not supported in the final formula path.
  • If selection-only mode is enabled and nothing is selected, the run stops instead of guessing a target.

Troubleshooting

  • No selection found: select a range or turn off Use the selected range only.
  • No usable data region found: the active sheet does not have a clear main data block for automatic detection.
  • AI access unavailable: sign in and make sure your AI access or subscription is active.
  • Overwrite approval requested: review the warning before allowing writes outside the selected range.
  • Large job failed midway: retry with a smaller range or a narrower prompt.

Related Guides

  • AI Sheet Formulas - Use formulas like AIASK, AITRANSLATE, AIVOCAB, AITABLE, and AIREVERSECALC directly in Google Sheets cells.
  • Sheets Mega Tools - Use additional Sheets cleanup, duplicate-finding, and formatting tools alongside AI workflows.