Lesson 2 of 8 · Automate Spreadsheets with AI Formulas
In this lesson. Turn messy text columns into categories you can filter.
What you will learn
- Category lists
- Spot-checking labels
- An other bucket
Walkthrough
You will sample a column, define categories, and have the model label rows — then you will spot-check. Bulk labeling without a check is how bad categories enter a report. Keep an “other” bucket.
Work through the ideas in order. After each point, pause and connect it to a task you already do — a document, a workflow, or a feature you own. The goal of Automate Spreadsheets with AI Formulas is usable skill, not a pile of notes.
If something is unclear, rewrite it in your own words before you continue. Teaching the step back to yourself is the fastest way to see gaps.
Practice
Classify 20 messy cells into a small category set. Fix the disagreements by hand.
Keep the first attempt small. A finished example you can reuse beats a perfect plan you never run.
Check your understanding
- Can you explain the goal of this lesson in one sentence to a teammate?
- Where would you apply “Category lists” in your own work this week?
- What would you change on a second pass of the practice?
Next. Continue to the following lesson when the practice has a real artifact, even a rough one.