What you will build

You will review a small team tracker, open the Google Sheets Share dialog, distinguish access for specific people from General access, and keep a working file restricted unless you intentionally choose a broader link scope.

Learning objective

Use the Share button confidently, recognize where recipient permissions and General access are controlled, and choose Viewer, Commenter or Editor based on what a collaborator actually needs.

Open the practice workbook

The example is A1:C3 with Task, Owner and Status. It contains fictional values only, so you can inspect the sharing controls without exposing real project information.

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.

Google Sheets showing the complete A1:C3 team tracker before the Share dialog is opened.

Open the sample workbook in Google Drive (access required) ↗

Hands-on practice

Step 1: Confirm the sheet contains only the fictional A1:C3 example. Before sharing any real workbook, remove secrets, private customer data and other information the recipient should not receive.

Step 2: Click Share in the upper-right corner. In the Share dialog, use the people-and-groups field when access should be limited to named recipients. Review the role control before sending an invitation: Viewer can read, Commenter can comment, and Editor can change the sheet.

Google Sheets Share dialog showing the area for adding specific people and the current General access setting.

Step 3: Inspect General access at the bottom of the Share dialog. Open its dropdown to see the available link-scope choices. For a private working sheet, keep Restricted unless you intentionally need a broader link audience.

Google Sheets General access dropdown open so the link-scope choices can be reviewed before sharing.

Step 4: If you invite a real collaborator, give the least permission needed for the task. Use Viewer for read-only access, Commenter when feedback is enough, and Editor only when the person must modify the workbook. Reopen Share later to review or remove access when collaboration ends.

Checkpoint

Common mistakes and fixes

If the wrong person has access, reopen Share and review the people list. If the link scope is broader than intended, change General access back to Restricted. If a collaborator only needs to read, reduce the role to Viewer instead of leaving Editor enabled.

Independent practice

Create a sharing checklist with four fields: recipient, role, link scope and review/revocation date. Use it before sharing a real workbook so access decisions are explicit rather than accidental.

Key takeaways

  • ✓Use the Share button to manage both named recipients and link access.
  • ✓Viewer reads, Commenter adds comments, and Editor can modify the workbook.
  • ✓Keep General access Restricted for private working files unless a broader link scope is intentional.
  • ✓Check the people list and permissions before and after collaboration.
  • ✓Sharing controls do not remove sensitive data already stored inside the workbook.
QUICK CHECK

Check your understanding

Answer four questions about the practice sheet.

1. Which control should you use when access is meant for named people only?
2. Which role is appropriate when someone only needs to read the sheet?
3. What does General access control?
4. What should you do when collaboration ends?

Continue learning

Previous lesson: Freeze rows and columns; Next lesson: Protect ranges and sheets.