What you will build

Complete “Make spreadsheets accessible” using the visible Task, Owner, Status, Notes sample so each action and the final state can be checked against the source data.

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.

Hands-on practice

Step 1 — Inspect the table structure. Click the Name box to the left of the formula bar, type A1:D4, and press Enter. Confirm the selection contains exactly four descriptive columns—Task, Owner, Status, and Notes—and that each column contains one kind of information.

The exact range A1:D4 is selected, showing the four-column accessible table structure and all three sample rows.

Step 2 — Verify the header treatment. Select A1:D1. Confirm that the Bold button (B) on the toolbar is active and that the header row uses a light green fill. Keep the four header cells separate; do not merge them.

The header range A1:D1 is selected and the Bold toolbar control is visibly active; the header cells also use a light green fill.

Step 3 — Verify that status does not depend on color. Read C2:C4 and confirm the cells contain the words Done, Working, and Planned. Use Tab to move forward across a row and Shift+Tab to move back; each cell in the main table should remain directly reachable.

Final clean workbook state showing readable text values Done, Working, and Planned in the Status column with no merged cells in the main table.

Checkpoint

TaskOwnerStatusNotes
BriefLinhDoneScope confirmed
DatasetMinhWorkingNeeds review
QAAnPlannedStart after dataset

Checkpoint for “Make spreadsheets accessible”: the Task, Owner, Status, Notes columns and sample records must still match this table after the lesson action.

Common mistakes and fixes

Before finishing, compare A1:D4 with the checkpoint: headers must be Task, Owner, Status, Notes; the Status column must contain text; and the main table must remain unmerged and keyboard-reachable.

Independent practice

Add a temporary fifth row using the same four-column schema, give it a text status such as Review, move across the row with Tab and Shift+Tab, then delete that temporary row so the workbook returns to the checkpoint state.

Key takeaways

  • ✓Use descriptive column headers so the purpose of each field is clear.
  • ✓Keep one kind of information in each column and avoid merged cells inside the main data table.
  • ✓Make headers visually distinct; in this workbook A1:D1 is bold with a light green fill.
  • ✓Do not communicate status with color alone—keep readable text such as Done, Working, and Planned.
  • ✓Test the table with Tab and Shift+Tab, then compare A1:D4 with the checkpoint before you finish.
QUICK CHECK

Check your understanding

Answer four questions about the practice sheet.

1. Which range contains the header row in this practice sheet?
2. Why should the Status column contain words such as Done, Working, and Planned?
3. What should you avoid inside the main data table when checking keyboard navigation?
4. What should A1:D4 look like at the checkpoint?

Next lesson

Continue in recommended learning order with Use dropdown chips for project status.