Split a Google Sheet into tabs by column value

If a master list contains several teams, classes or regions, you can use a formula for each group or create a reviewed set of snapshot tabs. Both routes keep the master list available. Tabs in one spreadsheet share its access; they do not provide private per-group distribution.

The free formula route

For a few known groups, Google’s FILTER function is enough. Suppose the source tab is named Source, its header is in row 1, its five records are in rows 2–6, and column A contains the team. On another tab:

=FILTER(Source!A2:C6,Source!A2:A6="North")

Repeat for South, or use Source!A2:A6="" to get the blank-team rows. Copy the header separately. The formula remains connected to the source. To freeze a snapshot, copy the result and use Paste special → Values only. Choose number/date formatting and other styles as needed. A formula route is a good choice when you want a few live groups and are comfortable maintaining the ranges. This simple equality example does not supply SplitFill’s exact case-sensitive grouping rule.

Sheetgo’s free split tool also advertises browser processing without signup and downloadable files or an Excel workbook with a tab per group. That can suit a one-off export without installing an add-on.

Try without preparing a list

In SplitFill, choose Create sample tab to add fictional practice rows in a new tab of the same spreadsheet. You can also use your own tab and range; no template download is required. Creating the sample selects A1:B4, headings and Team, but does not run Preview or create snapshot outputs.

Review and tick the notice about including all selected hidden/filtered rows, then choose Preview all groups. Expect Red with Practice Alex and Practice Casey, and Blue with Practice Blair: three data rows, two groups and ten output cells including repeated headings. Review the proposed names, separately confirm creation, then choose Create or reopen these snapshots. This creates two new snapshot tabs and counts as one complete job. The sample and outputs follow the spreadsheet’s existing sharing permissions.

Optional downloadable example

Download the example ZIP. It contains teams.csv and a short README with the expected result. Open/import the CSV in Google Sheets and check that the table occupies A1:C6, including the heading row. Its task IDs start with TASK- to avoid numeric-ID conversion during import. This example has no formula, date or style setup to reproduce.

In SplitFill, choose that tab and range, enable the heading row and group by Team. Acknowledge that all selected hidden/filtered rows are included, then choose Preview all groups and review these three groups before creating tabs:

In a spreadsheet without conflicting names, the proposed outputs are Split 01 - North, Split 02 - South and Split 03 - Blank. Existing conflicting names are preserved and the preview shows adjusted names. Separately confirm the reviewed groups and output names, then choose Create or reopen these snapshots. Expect three tabs, five data rows and three repeated headers. This is one complete job, not three. SplitFill preserves zero rather than treating it as missing.

Check the snapshot before using it

The source remains unchanged. Grouping uses exact displayed labels, including case and spaces; it does not trim or normalize your team names. Outputs retain calculated value types and base cell styles. Formulas become values; embedded source hyperlink targets, notes, validation, conditional formatting, hidden states, protection and mixed rich-text decoration are not copied. Google Sheets may detect and style plain URL text in the output as it normally does. New outputs are visible snapshots under the same spreadsheet access, with no automatic refresh.

Each generation request reads fresh source values, displayed text and formulas. Source styles and widths may be cached until a fresh full check before completion. Style-only source edits may therefore be detected after partial tabs have been written; those tabs stay preserved and no completion is recorded. Missing or invalid cached formatting requires a matching full source check before further writes.

Completion/recovery checks verify typed values, displayed text, absence of formulas, managed grid dimensions and source/tab identity/ownership. Formatting/annotation edits are not independently audited or overwritten and may remain when these checks pass.

A job supports 1–1,000 data rows, up to 10 columns, 50 groups and 10,500 output cells including repeated headers; an optional source heading row is additional to the data-row limit. Text-size and spreadsheet-allocation safeguards also apply. Completion time varies with your data and Google’s services.

Preview is free. Two complete jobs are free in total per Google account; further jobs within supported limits cost $9 once. No subscription. Review the account and counts in the sidebar. Current recovery instructions are in the terms; keep your source and completed tabs until you have checked them.