If you need to update certain data throughout the spreadsheet, this can take a long time. But with a built-in tool, you can find and replace all instances of that data simultaneously in Google Sheets.
You may need to change the price or other attribute of a product, dollar amount, item number, seller name, or location. Using the Find and Replace feature with any necessary parameters, you can quickly locate and change what you need in Google Sheets.
Use Find and Replace in Google Sheets
visit Google Sheets and open the spreadsheet where you want to select and update your data. Click Edit > Find and Replace from the menu.
When the Find and Replace window appears, enter the data you want to locate in the Search box. Then, in the Replace With box, enter what you want to update it with.
Use the search drop-down box to specify where you want to search. You can choose All Sheets, This Sheet, or a Specific Range.
To review and confirm the data before replacing it, click “Search”. This will highlight the first instance of the data you enter in the search box. Keep clicking Search to see each subsequent instance of the data. When all results are found, the tool will start from the beginning, and you will see the message “No more results found, spin around” in the Find and Replace window.
If you review your data and decide that all instances must be replaced, click Replace All. You will then see how many items have been replaced in the Find and Replace window and update your data.
If you only want to update a specific instance instead of all of them, you can click Replace for the specific instance that was found and highlighted. You will see Update your data and details in the Find and Replace window.
Add search parameters
In the Search section of the Find and Replace window, you have additional options that you can use to find your data. They can be useful for locating something specific or when entering data in different formats throughout the paper.
match status: This is ideal when searching for text that uses uppercase and lowercase letters. You can match the case exactly, until you find the correct data.
Match the entire contents of the cell: To avoid finding and replacing similar data in the sheet, you can locate something specific by matching all the contents within a cell.
Search using regular expressions: If you want to use regular expressions to get more accurate or varied results, you can check this box.
Also search in formulas: To include the data inside the formulas instead of just the contents of the cells, check this search option.
Updating the data in your spreadsheet doesn’t have to be a time consuming process. Remember this tip for using find and replace the next time you want to update your Google Sheets.
And if you want to find and link data together, take a look at How to Use VLOOKUP in Google Sheets.
