Google Sheets makes collaboration easy, but collaboration and access
control are not the same thing.
When several people work with operational data, you need to think
carefully about who can see, edit and share information.
Start with roles
Define what each user actually needs to do.
For example:
- Administrator: full control.
- Manager: review and approve.
- Staff member: enter and update assigned records.
- Viewer: read-only access.
Do not give everyone editor access simply because it is convenient.
Use separate sheets carefully
A common approach is to create one sheet for administrators and another
for staff.
This can work for simple workflows, but copying information between
sheets can create duplication and errors.
A better approach may be to use a structured form, protected ranges or a
dedicated application when access requirements become complex.
Protect important areas
Google Sheets allows you to protect sheets and ranges.
Use this to protect:
- Formula columns.
- Reference tables.
- Calculated fields.
- Important configuration values.
- Headers.
- Lookup data.
However, protection should not be treated as a replacement for proper
application-level security.
Understand sharing permissions
Google Workspace provides different sharing levels, but users should
still follow an access policy.
Review:
- Who has access.
- Whether access is direct or through a group.
- Whether external sharing is allowed.
- Who can share the file further.
- Whether former staff still have access.
Keep an audit trail
Version history can help identify changes, but it is not the same as a
full application audit log.
If your organisation needs to know exactly who performed each
operational action, when they performed it and what changed, consider
moving the workflow into an application designed for that purpose.
Design for staff turnover
Access management becomes especially important when people join or leave
an organisation.
Avoid building systems around personal email addresses where possible.
Use organisational accounts and clearly defined roles.
When Google Sheets is no longer enough
If different users need different records, approval workflows,
dashboards, permissions and audit trails, you may be approaching the
limits of a spreadsheet-based workflow.
At that point, consider a database-backed application.
Final thought
Google Sheets is excellent for collaboration, but good collaboration
requires good governance.
The objective is not to prevent people from accessing information. It is
to ensure that every person has the access necessary to perform their
role---and no more than necessary.
Trygg Montis can help organisations design collaborative Google
Workspace workflows with appropriate structure, automation and access
controls.