What you will build

You will make a small Personal budget table easier to read without changing its data. Row 1 will become a clear header, columns A:E will fit their displayed contents, and row 1 will stay visible while you scroll.

Learning objectives

Open the practice workbook

HANDS-ON PRACTICE

Practice in your own copy

Make your own Google Sheets copy with the same data, formulas, formatting, filter and frozen header. The original remains unchanged.

Make a Google Sheets copy (access required) ↗View original

Sign in to Google. If the original is not publicly shared, download the full workbook and import it into Google Sheets, or paste the example data into your own sheet.

Sample data

DateCategoryDescriptionAmountStatus
2026-09-01IncomeSalary1500Posted
2026-09-02FoodGroceries85Posted
2026-09-03TransportBus pass30Planned
2026-09-05HousingRent700Planned

Keep these five columns and four records unchanged. This lesson changes presentation only.

Google Sheets Personal budget source table before header formatting and freezing.

Hands-on practice

Step 1: Select A1:E1. Make the header visually distinct with bold text and a light green fill. Do not change the header labels or any data rows.

Step 2: Fit columns A:E so each header and the longest displayed value are readable without unnecessary empty width. Resize only the columns; do not edit cell contents.

Step 3: Open View > Freeze > 1 row. Choose 1 row so only row 1 remains pinned at the top.

Google Sheets View menu with Freeze submenu open and the 1 row command shown for freezing the header.

Step 4: Scroll down far enough that the original first data rows move upward. Confirm row 1 remains visible above the scrolling data, then return to the top.

Google Sheets Personal budget after scrolling, with the frozen header row still visible above the data.

Checkpoint

DateCategoryDescriptionAmountStatus
2026-09-01IncomeSalary1500Posted
2026-09-02FoodGroceries85Posted
2026-09-03TransportBus pass30Planned
2026-09-05HousingRent700Planned

The values must still match this checkpoint. Row 1 should be bold with a light green fill, columns A:E should be readable, and View > Freeze should be set to 1 row.

Common mistakes and fixes

If formatting was applied to the whole table instead of only the header, undo that formatting and reapply bold plus light green fill to A1:E1. Formatting should improve scanning without altering the four source records.

Independent practice

Temporarily add a fifth record using the same five-column schema. Scroll again to confirm the frozen header remains visible, then remove the practice row so the workbook returns to the checkpoint.

Key takeaways

  • ✓Use formatting to distinguish the header without changing source values.
  • ✓Keep A1:E1 as the single header row and make it bold with a light green fill.
  • ✓Fit populated columns so headers and displayed values are readable.
  • ✓Use View > Freeze > 1 row to keep the header visible while scrolling.
  • ✓Verify the final data still matches the checkpoint after formatting.
QUICK CHECK

Check your understanding

Answer four questions about the practice sheet.

1. Which range should receive the header formatting in this sample?
2. Which menu path freezes exactly the header row?
3. What proves the freeze worked?
4. What should you do if Description text is clipped?

Next lesson

Continue with Sort and filter entries in Personal budget.