What to Know

• Create or open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets, and click Help me organize. 
• Type a prompt that tells the AI what you want, and click Create template.
• Click Insert if you like the template, or adjust the prompt and click Create template again until satisfied.

This article explains how to use Google Duet in Sheets. While you can't use Google Gemini in Sheets, Duet is another artificial intelligence (AI) tool from Google that does work directly in Workspace apps like Gmail, Docs, and Sheets.

How Does Google Duet Work in Sheets?

Google Gemini is an AI chatbot that can perform a lot of useful tasks, but you can't use Google it in Sheets. Instead of integrating Gemini into Workspace apps like Sheets, Google developed their Duet AI for that purpose. Duet is similar, but it's based on the next-generation Pathway Language Model 2 (PaLM 2) that's comparable to ChatGPT-4 or 4o in terms of capabilities, instead of Gemini's older Language Model for Dialogue Applications (LaMDA) technology.

If you don't see the Help Me Organize button in Sheets, that means you don't have access to this feature yet.

1. Navigate to Google Sheets, and click + Blank to create a new spreadsheet.

   

   You can use Google Duet in existing spreadsheets, but it will overwrite any existing data or formatting.

2. Click the text field in the Help me organize sidebar.

   

   Don't see the sidebar? Click the Help me organize button at the far left end of the tool bar.

3. Type a request, and click Create template.

   

4. Click Insert.

   

5. The spreadsheet template is now ready for your data.

   

What Can Duet AI Do in Google Sheets?

Duet can generate spreadsheets quickly and even populate them with placeholder data, but it does have limitations. Depending on exactly what task you're trying to get Duet to perform, you may need to adjust your request a few times to achieve the desired results. In some cases, you'll find that it simply can't perform the required task. That won't necessarily be the case forever since Duet will likely gain new features and abilities over time.

If you submit a request that Duet can't handle, you'll receive an error message to that effect. For example, if you ask Duet to create a spreadsheet with formulas or functions, you'll receive the message, "We're still learning, and can't help with that. Try another request."

Can Google Duet Use Formulas in Sheets?

When you receive an error message from Duet in Sheets, rephrasing the request can help. If the AI simply lacks the necessary functionality to perform a request, then all you can do is get as close as possible and do the rest manually.

For example, you can have Duet create a profit and loss tracker and then customize it with some formulas to make it more useful. This method uses smart features in Sheets to automatically generate formulas that augment a Duet-generated template.

This is just one example of how to use a Duet-generated template. Once Duet has made a template for you in Sheets, you can use it like any other spreadsheet.

1. Start by creating a new spreadsheet in Google Sheets. Then type a request, i.e. "profit and loss tracker for a laundromat," and click Create template.

   

2. Click Insert.

   

   If the template isn't quite right, adjust your request and click Create template again.

3. This template is a good start, but it doesn't actually calculate anything. To fix that, highlight the first number in the Gross Profit column and press the = key.

   

4. Press the left arrow on your keyboard twice, then click the suggested formula or press tab.

   

5. Now do the same thing with the first entry in the Net Profit column. Delete the number from that cell, press the = key, then the back arrow twice. Then click the suggested formula when it appears, or press tab.

   

6. Now click the first entry in the Gross Profit column.

   

7. Click the dot at the bottom right corner of the selected cell, and drag down.

   

8. Repeat that process, but with the first entry in the Net Profit column.

   

9. You can enter numbers into the Revenue, Cost of Goods Sold, and Operating Expenses columns.

   

10. The spreadsheet automatically calculates the Gross Profit and Net Profit entries with those numbers entered.

    

• What is Google Gemini?

  Gemini (formerly Bard) is Google's AI chatbot program that launched in early 2023. It uses the company's own Pathways Language Model (PaLM). It's generally faster than competitors like ChatGPT, but as with all chatbots, you should confirm any information it gives you with reputable, human sources.

• How do I access Google Gemini?

  Google Gemini is available at gemini.google.com. You can ask this program general questions, but you should never enter personal or sensitive information.