Clean Sheet. How to Get Rid of Lines in Google Sheets

How to Get Rid of Lines in Google Sheets #

Lines in Google Sheets can be distracting and make your spreadsheet look cluttered. Fortunately, there are a few ways to remove lines to give your sheet a clean and professional appearance. In this article, we will guide you through the process of manually removing lines in Google Sheets and provide a Google Apps script solution for automating the task.

Manually Removing Lines #

To manually get rid of lines in Google Sheets, follow these steps:

Open your Google Sheets document.
Select the cells or range of cells where you want to remove the lines.
In the toolbar, click on the "Borders" icon, which looks like a square with four lines inside.
Choose "No borders" from the dropdown menu. This will remove all the lines from the selected cells or range.
If you have multiple lines in different sections of your sheet, repeat steps 2-4 for each section until all the lines are removed.

By following these steps, you can manually remove lines from your Google Sheets and give your spreadsheet a more organized and tidy look.

Automating with Google Apps Script #

For users who frequently deal with lines in their Google Sheets or want to automate the process, Google Apps Script provides a powerful solution. With a simple script, you can remove lines with just a click or even set it up to run automatically.

Here is a Google Apps Script snippet to remove lines from selected cells:

function removeLinesFromSelectedCells() {
  var spreadsheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
  var sheet = spreadsheet.getActiveSheet();

  var selection = sheet.getActiveRange();

  var cellBorders = selection.getBorderStyles();
  cellBorders.forEach(function (rowData, rowIndex) {
    rowData.forEach(function (border, columnIndex) {
      if (border !== null) {
        selection.getCell(rowIndex + 1, columnIndex + 1)
          .setBorder(true, true, true, true, false, false);
      }
    });
  });
}

To use this script:

Open your Google Sheets document.
Click on "Extensions" in the top menu, then select "Apps Script."
Delete the default function and paste the provided script into the script editor.
Save the script by clicking on the floppy disk icon or using the Ctrl + S shortcut.
Close the script editor.
Now, you will see a new menu item called "Remove Lines" added to your Google Sheets toolbar.
Select the cells or range of cells where you want to remove the lines.
Click on "Remove Lines" in the toolbar. This will remove the lines from the selected range.

Use Case Examples #

Here are a few use case examples where removing lines in Google Sheets can be beneficial:

Financial Analysis: When presenting financial reports or budgets, removing lines can create a cleaner and more professional look for your data.
Data Entry: When importing data from external sources or copying data from different sources, lines may appear that need to be removed for consistency.
Project Management: Removing lines can help in visualizing and organizing project timelines and task lists, providing a clear overview of project progress.

In all these cases, manually or through automation, getting rid of lines in Google Sheets can enhance the readability and overall aesthetic appeal of your spreadsheet.

By following the manual steps or utilizing the provided Google Apps Script, you can easily remove lines from your Google Sheets, saving time and effort while maintaining a clean and professional look for your data.

Sorting by date in Google Sheets can help to organize data effectively.
To find and highlight duplicates in Google Sheets, you can follow the steps mentioned here.
Learn how to remove blank rows in Google Sheets by referring to this guide.
Deleting empty rows in Google Sheets can help to clean up your spreadsheet.
You can get rid of lines in Google Sheets by following the provided instructions.

Published 20 Jul 2023