How to View and Utilize the Edit History in Google Sheets

Google Sheets allows seamless collaboration between multiple users working on the same spreadsheet. But with many cooks in the kitchen how can you keep track of who changed what and when?

Thankfully, Google Sheets has a comprehensive edit history feature that records every change made to your spreadsheet.

In this guide we’ll cover

• Why view edit history in Sheets
• How to access edit history
• Reading and filtering the change log
• Restoring previous versions
• Leveraging history for auditing
• Best practices for edit tracking

Let’s dig in to how to unlock the full power of Google Sheets’ edit history!

Why View Edit History in Google Sheets?

Here are some of the key reasons to utilize Sheets’ edit history feature

• See who made what changes to your spreadsheet
• Identify when and where changes occurred
• Review older versions of your spreadsheet
• Restore data or formulas that were deleted or overwritten
• Audit changes to comply with regulations like HIPAA or SOX
• Pinpoint breaking changes that caused issues
• Improve collaboration by seeing each user’s contributions

The edit history logs everything, so consult it when you need more transparency into changes made to your important spreadsheets.

How to Access Edit History in Google Sheets

Google Sheets records the full edit history automatically – you just need to know how to view it:

To see spreadsheet edit history:

1. Open your Google Sheet

2. Select File > Version history > See version history

This will open the version history sidebar where you can inspect changes made over time.

To view cell edit history:

1. Select a cell

2. Click the dropdown arrow in the corner

3. Choose Show edit history

This shows every edit made specifically to that single cell.

Edit history is available for all spreadsheet users, unlike more advanced version control add-ons.

Reading and Filtering the Edit History

The edit history logs can get quite long for actively edited spreadsheets. Here are tips for navigating them efficiently:

• The timestamp shows you when each change occurred. Hover over it for the exact date/time.

• The columns indicate what type of change was made – edit cell contents, add/remove rows or columns, etc.

• Click Show more details to see the specific cells/rows/columns changed.

• Use the filters to only view edits by certain users, dates, or actions like deletions.

• Click a version on the right to see a snapshot of the sheet at that point in time.

• Search for specific keywords like user names, cell labels, or values to zero in on relevant edits.

• Collapse detailed changes that aren’t important to declutter your view.

Leverage filters liberally so you can drill into the exact history details you need.

Restoring Previous Versions

In addition to auditing changes, edit history allows reverting your spreadsheet to a previous state. This can be extremely useful for error recovery.

Here is the process to restore an older version:

1. Open the version history and navigate to the point you want to restore.

2. Click the three-dot menu next to that version and select Restore this version.

3. Select Restore to overwrite your spreadsheet with the chosen historical version.

4. The version will now become your new current spreadsheet state.

You can revert as far back as the creation of the sheet. Edit history is unlimited, so you have full access to all previous versions.

Using Edit History for Auditing and Compliance

For teams that handle sensitive data and must comply with regulations like HIPAA, SOX, or GDPR, the edit history provides an auditing trail:

• Verify regulatory controls like data access restrictions were maintained.

• Prove strict protocols were followed if audited.

• Support incident investigations and root cause analysis.

• Enable periodic reconciliation by comparing versions over time.

• Provide evidentiary support in legal proceedings if required.

Robust edit tracking is a prerequisite for using Sheets with regulated data. Activate history and perform regular audits.

Best Practices for Edit History

To maximize the value of Google Sheets’ built-in edit tracking:

Assign ownership – Give explicit editing rights only to users who need them to reduce audit scope.

Check history routinely – Make reviewing recent changes part of your regular data validation.

Note major edits – Require users to add comments explaining any substantive changes.

Control deletions – Limit users with rights to delete data to prevent irreversible loss.

Monitor filters – Edit filters to exclude key data or users and alter history perspective.

Export snapshots – Occasionally export and archive frozen history versions externally.

Supplement with backups – Use periodic backups to restore data lost before its deletion was logged.

The edit history is only as reliable as your processes around it. Implement controls to ensure it provides an accurate, tamper-proof change log.

Summary

Google Sheets’ detailed edit history capability allows unprecedented transparency into collaborators modifying your spreadsheet. Take advantage of it to:

• Audit changes made by your team
• Pinpoint errors and breaking edits
• Revert to previous versions if needed
• Comply with regulations requiring audit trails
• Optimize collaboration workflows

But also institute best practices around access, deletions, exports, comments, and change review to ensure edit tracking data remains integral.

The edit history unlocks powerful spreadsheets insights. Learn to harness it for smoother teamwork, improved data integrity, and simplified compliance.