Google Sheets is an online spreadsheet application that allows you to create or edit data inside the spreadsheet. It has multiple uses, which can be quite useful to users. It is used by millions of users all around the world and is rapidly gaining popularity due to its user-friendly features.
It allows multiple users to modify or edit the same file at the same time, which is not possible without most spreadsheet applications. It allows you to perform multiple operations such as including formulas, applying them to a whole column, etc.
A few years back, creating random numbers was a distant algorithm in the future. But now, Google Sheets allows us to generate truly random numbers using some simple formulas. The total length of the formulas used in the Google Sheets to generate these numbers doesn’t exceed twenty characters.
Generating random numbers has become insanely easy with Google Sheets. In this post, we are going to see some of the best and easiest ways to generate random numbers in Google Sheets.
Using RANDBETWEEN Function To Generate Random Numbers
One of the reasons that Google Sheets has gained huge popularity is because of the customizable options that it provides. We can use a single formula in many different ways. In this section, we are going to see how to use the RANDBETWEEN function to create random numbers. This section will contain the basic but necessary information to create random numbers using the function.
1. First, open a new or existing Google Sheets file. It would be better if it was a new file as it will be easier for you to practice this function.
2. Go to an empty cell and type =RANDBETWEEN first. There are three rand functions so make sure that you are using the RANDBETWEEN function as it allows you to create random numbers between a specific set of numbers.
3. You can use this RANDBETWEEN function to create random numbers that exist between a specific number set. For example, you can make Google Sheets generate random numbers between 1 to 10 or 308 to 9087. There is no limit or restrictions to the numbers you can specify as the limit. Type the numbers you specified inside the brackets after the function.
If you have chosen 100 and 515 as the set of numbers to use with the function, write =RANDBETWEEN (100, 515) and click Enter. This will create a random number between 100 and 515.
The RAND functions are incredibly volatile and will change in value once the new value is included on the spreadsheet. Even if you enter an alphabet or punctuation, the already existing random number will be replaced by a new number.
Fill The Column With Random Numbers
If you want the randomly generated numbers to fill your column, there is an option that will automatically do this. You don’t have to copy and paste or type the function manually in all the cells in the column.
To do that, you have to approve the Auto-Suggested option. To do that, type in the formula and specify the numbers you wish. Then select the cells which you like to be filled with these randomly generated numbers. Then press Ctrl + Enter.
It will instantly fill all the cells you have with a randomly generated number. Sometimes, the Auto-Suggestion option will pop up, and you can click on the tick arrow to accomplish the same process.
Generated Random Numbers From Other Cells
If you want to get the values of the random number between two cells in your sheet, this method might help you do that.
Let us say you have entered 10 in A1 and 800 in B1. Using the =RANDBETWEEN, we can make randomly generated numbers that exist between 10 and 800 without typing them manually.
To do that, type =RANDBETWEEN in any of the cells you wish and mention A1 and B1 inside the brackets. It should look like =RANDBETWEEN (A1, B1). It will generate a random number between the values on A1 and values on B1, which are 10 and 800, respectively, in our case.
