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Google Sheets to Microsoft Excel

Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel are both spreadsheet programs designed to take in and process data arranged in rows and columns. Due to their similar nature, if you are familiar with one of the programs you will most likely already be capable of using the other without much issue.

Basic Functionality

Manually inputting data and setting up calculations remains the same between the two. Double clicking a cell will allow you to add and edit its contents. Pressing the “=” sign on your keyboard will initiate the function mode and allow you to select which function to use from a list when you start typing. How these functions operate are the same as in Google Sheets.

Transferring a Google Sheet to Microsoft Excel

A Google Sheet is able to be downloaded to your computer in a compatible format with Microsoft Excel. Due to the extra functionality and power in Excel, this can be done with little to no loss in information.

  1. Open the Google Sheet file you wish to convert to Excel

  2. Go to File → Download → Microsoft Excel (.xlsx)

  3. You should see a notification about your Google Sheet file downloading

  4. Open the downloaded file in Microsoft Excel; you should be able to edit and save the file. 

  5. Make any needed adjustments to correct charts or graphs


The .xlsx represents the file type being a Microsoft Excel formatted document.

Similar Workflows

  • Collaboration:

    • Collaboration features are available in real-time. Multiple users can work on the same document simultaneously, just like Google Docs.

  • User Interface:

    • The user interface for Docs is clean and straightforward. It's user-friendly, especially for those who prefer a simpler experience. Similarly, Microsoft Word is easy to navigate and adapt to, offering the same basic features as Docs in addition to extensive formatting options and advanced features.

  • Features and Functionality:

    • Microsoft Word offers a wide range of formatting options, extensive templates, advanced page layout tools, and powerful editing capabilities. It also does well in covering essential word processing needs with an emphasis on collaboration that Google Docs offers. Word has more templating and layout options.

  • Integration

    • Microsoft Word integrates with the Microsoft 365 suite just as well as Google Docs does with the Google Suite. You can easily copy and paste Excel charts and data into your Word document. Word also has better integration capabilities with third-party applications. Oftentimes, Google Docs need to be saved as Word documents to be readable or submittable in certain situations. With Word, the original copy works just fine.

  • Offline Capabilities

    • Both Word and Docs have offline editing capabilities that can be turned on through the application's settings. This allows the document to be modified and saved without the need for Wifi or another connectivity option.

Core Differences

While both Sheets and Excel share much of the same base functionality, there are a number of differences between the two programs. Highlighted below are the key differences that will most likely affect those transitioning from Sheets to Excel. 

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