I'm having issues using keyboard shortcuts to select a range for any variable after the first variable in a Google Sheets function.Here is a simple example.Let's say I'm trying to write a sumif function in Google Sheets. I'd like to use keyboard shortcuts to select my ranges, but I can only do so for the first variable in the function.Let's say I have an x in column A that indicates the column I want to sum, and column B contains the value I want to sum. In Excel, I can
- type =sumif(
- place my cursor in the first cell for the criteria
- CMD + Shift + Down arrow to select the range for the criteria,
- ,"=x",
- place my cursor in the first cell for the value column
- CMD + Shift + Down arrow to select the range for the value column
- )
So the final formula might look something like =sumif(A2:A300,"=x",B2:B300)However, in Google Sheets the keyboard shortcuts only work for the first variable.I also tried clicking in the first cell, holding down just the shift key, and using the down arrow key to highlight one cell at a time, and that didn't work either.
I did a few other tests.
- I typed =sum(B2:B300) and was able to use the keyboard shortcut, but If I try =sum(b2:b50,b51:b300), I can use the keyboard shortcut for the first range and not the second.
- I tried sum(b2:b50)+sum(b51:b300) to see if I could use the shortcut in a second function in the same formula, and I couldn't.
- I ensured the light grey bracket appeared before clicking on the first cell of the second range.
My conclusion is that the shortcuts only work in the first variable of a function. I know I can use a mouse, or I can manually type the function, but I have been using these keyboard shortcuts in Excel for likely a decade, and I'm just more efficient this way. "Old dog new tricks" I guess. I'm hoping someone knows something I can do to make this work in Sheets.