Google Spreadsheets Tip
I’m not a huge fan of Google Documents, particularly their spreadsheets (yes, I am old school with Microsoft) but when you are working in a virtual capacity they definitely get a win for multiple people being able to make changes simultaneously.
Yesterday I was fine-tuning a sheet that a client had created, knowing the document would be sent as a PDF to someone else. A major downside is that the gridlines show when PDF’d (Can we say icky? Who really wants that to show?)
I turned to the support community and found this super handy javascript that another user created.It worked like a charm!
It’s worth sharing here and will save you time sorting through all the community questions and responses on how to “fix” this.
From the community forum on How to Remove Grid Lines in Google Spreadsheets:
Click on File, Download As, HTML (Current sheet) and then use the following javascript in the web adress bar (overwrite what is in the address bar with the script below). This will then remove all the unwanted gridlines.
javascript:var v=”none”,e=”defaultView”,o=”border”,m=”Color”,w=function(a,b){if(document[e]){if(document[e].getComputedStyle(a,null)[o+b+m]==”rgb(204, 204, 204)”)a.style[o+b]=v}else if(a.currentStyle[o+b+m]==”#ccc”)a.style[o+b]=”none”},q=function(a){a=window.document.getElementsByTagName(a);for(var b=0;b<a.length;b++){var c=a[b];w(c,”Left”);w(c,”Right”);w(c,”Bottom”);w(c,”Top”)}};q(“td”);q(“table”);
You should now see that your spreadsheet is now has NO gridlines! The last thing you need to do is to print this webpage to PDF using a mac or use something like PDFCreator to generate a PDF from this web page in Windows. (I use the FireFox Add-On called PDFit!)
Just in case the javascript doesn’t copy properly from my site here is the actual URL on the forum.
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Hey Michelle! I can always count on you for great tips like this! Thank you! Did you ever think of contacting a site like VANetworking.com to put your tips somewhere on the site, or maybe start a “tip line”? You’d be great!
Nickey- you are so sweet. Had not thought of asking Tawyna about submitting tips there. A Twitter pal did tip me off once that there was a question in VAForums that she thought I could help out on though and another Twitter pal recently asked me to join one of her associated communities to help provide tips.
I sure don’t know it all but I am one of those people who will research it until I figure it out. 
Twitter: pnstlion
January 28, 2010 at 11:10 am
As a former app trainer and MCT, I’m attuned to MS Office products. That said, if and when I have to use Google docs (which isn’t often), it takes me a few moments to get acclimated. Even simple tips like this one are extremely helpful. Thanks!
Gabe | freebloghelp.com´s last blog ..Start making money with Twitter today (literally)
Gabe – Google Docs definitely have a learning curve associated with them. I tend to get frustrated with them quickly because I’m not as familiar with them as I am with Microsoft (heck, I’ve been using MS for 13+ years now so I have much more experience with all of that). And I figured the blog post was well worth the time to write it since I imagine others may have the same “issues” as I’ve experienced. May as well share what I learn along the way.
Twitter: freemanlegacy
January 29, 2010 at 1:55 pm
I don’t currently use Google Doc, but as an old school Excel-er I know the pains we go through to ensure our sheets are pristine. Thanks for taking the time to give us the step by step details. I know where to come for the answer in the future.
Ms. Freeman´s last blog ..Don’t Scrap Your Goals Just Re-Evaluate Them
Ms. Freeman – I am def old school about my Excel as well, which is what that particular “issue” in G/docs was totally stressing me out.
Like you, I am not a huge fan of google spreadsheets. In fact, as an Excel user, I rather despise it. However, I have to use it on occasion when I am not on my computer so this suggestion makes it slight more tolerable
Richard@How To Videos´s last blog ..How To Make Money On eBay
Richard – I rather despise Google spreadsheets as well, mainly because so many shortcuts I am used to in Excel (especially CTRL+D, one I use all the time) does not work in G-spreadsheets.
Check out this application I wrote when I had to remove those ugly grid lines from my spreadsheets:
http://gridwipe.ikanos.se
Cheers!
Mikael – I couldn’t figure out how to get your app to work. When I put in the Google Doc URL it told me it was not in PDF format?
Hi!
I updated the site, and there’s now a “Help!” link on the page that takes you to some info how to proceed. Please let me know if there’s any problem.
Cheers!