Need to know when a specific value in your budget spreadsheet changes? Or perhaps you want to stay informed when a task’s status or owner is updated in your project tracker? Google Sheets has introduced a new feature called “Conditional Notifications” to keep you informed about changes in your data.
This feature lets you set up custom rules within your spreadsheets that trigger email alerts whenever specific changes occur. It eliminates the need for constant manual checking, replacing it with automatic email updates, saving you time and frustration—similar to features in project management tools like Airtable.
Unlike other competitor programs like Excel that require some coding knowledge to set up these kinds of specific email updates, Google Sheets keeps things user-friendly.
Setting up conditional notifications has been made easy. Simply navigate to “Tools” within your spreadsheet and select “Conditional notifications.” From there, you can create custom rules tailored to your specific needs. Whether you want to be alerted when a specific column value changes or a range of cells meets a certain condition, conditional notifications offer a wide range of customization options.
The best part? Notification emails not only inform you about the change but also tell you who made the update in a shared spreadsheet, adding a layer of transparency and accountability. You can even configure these notifications to keep specific colleagues informed, ensuring everyone stays in the loop.
With conditional notifications, Google Sheets enhances its functionality, empowering users and teams to work more efficiently by transforming spreadsheets from static documents into dynamic collaborative tools.
The new feature is now rolling out gradually to Google Workspace accounts (Business, Enterprise, or Education) starting June 4th for Rapid Release domains and June 18th for Scheduled Release domains. Free personal accounts are however excluded from this release