How to Make a Checklist in Google Sheets
Google Sheets can add real, tickable checkboxes from a single menu, and with a couple of formulas you can track progress too. This guide covers inserting checkboxes and tracking completion, then weighs it against a tool built only for checklists.
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How to make a checklist in Google Sheets
Method 1: Insert checkboxes
The core method: real checkboxes in a column.
- 1
List your tasks
Type one task per row down a column.
- 2
Select the checkbox cells
Highlight the empty cells in the column next to your tasks.
- 3
Open Insert then Checkbox
Open the Insert menu and choose "Checkbox". Every selected cell gets a tickable box.
- 4
Tick items off
Click a box to toggle it between checked and unchecked (TRUE and FALSE).
Method 2: Add a progress count and strikethrough
Optional extras that make the checklist feel finished.
- 1
Count completed items
In a spare cell, use =COUNTIF(A2:A20, TRUE) to show how many boxes are ticked.
- 2
Strike through done tasks
Select your task column, open Format then Conditional formatting, and add a custom formula such as =A2=TRUE with strikethrough styling.
- 3
Sort or filter
Use Data then Create a filter to hide completed tasks when you want a clean view.
Where Google Sheets slows you down
- Sheets is a grid of cells. A checklist has to be built by hand, row by row, with no template to start from.
- Useful tracking, like a progress count or strikethrough, needs formulas and conditional formatting most people have to look up.
- It is a spreadsheet, which is not the friendliest thing to print or hand to someone for a simple list of tasks.
The verdict: Google Sheets adds checkboxes from one menu, and formulas can track progress, but you still build everything by hand in a spreadsheet grid.
The faster way: build it in GeneChecklist
Here is the same checklist, without the menus, hidden tabs or formatting. Three steps, any device.
- 1
Open the free builder
Go to the checklist builder. There is no download, no sign-up and no hidden menu to switch on. It loads as a blank checklist, ready for you to type.
- 2
Add your items, or let AI do it
Type a task and press Enter for the next line. In a hurry? Describe what the list is for, such as "weekend camping trip with two kids", and AI writes the items for you. Or start from one of 300+ ready-made checklists.
- 3
Organise, then save, print or share
Drag items to reorder them, group them into sections, and tick them off against a live progress bar. Download a clean PDF, print it, or send a share link, all from the same screen.
Google Sheets vs. GeneChecklist
| Google Sheets | GeneChecklist | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to a usable checklist | 5-10 minutes | Under a minute |
| Checkboxes | Insert then Checkbox menu | Built in: tap to tick, with a live progress bar |
| Ready-made templates | None for checklists | 300+ professionally written checklists |
| AI list generation | Not available | Describe your list and AI writes the items |
| Phone and desktop | Works on web and mobile | Any browser, nothing to install |
| Print and PDF | Prints as a spreadsheet with gridlines | One-click, print-ready PDF |
| Cost | Free with a Google account | Free to build, print and download as PDF |
You can have both
Still want the list in a spreadsheet? Build it here, then a Pro plan exports a CSV file you can import into Google Sheets in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add a checkbox in Google Sheets?
Select the cells where you want checkboxes, open the Insert menu, and click "Checkbox".
How do I count checked boxes in Google Sheets?
Use =COUNTIF(range, TRUE), pointing the range at the column of checkboxes.
How do I make completed tasks cross out in Google Sheets?
Select the task cells, open Format then Conditional formatting, and add a custom formula rule that applies strikethrough when the checkbox cell is TRUE.
Ready-made checklists to start from
Skip the blank page. Open any of these, customise it, and download a PDF.
More checklist guides
Stop wrestling with the wrong tool
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