Use Gemini in Google Sheets to Build a Procurement Tracker for Your Projects
For Interior Designers ·
What This Does
Gemini in Google Sheets can build a table from a plain-English description, add a status dropdown, and set up highlighting that tells you which orders need a call. You end up with one tracker for quotes, deposits, orders and deliveries across every project, without hand-building the columns and rules.
Before You Start
- You have a Google account with Gemini in Sheets available. Google says the feature requires an eligible Google Workspace or Google AI plan. For a business account that generally means a Business Standard plan ($14/user/month), and details are at workspace.google.com
- Open a blank Google Sheet and look for Ask Gemini at the top right. If it is missing, ask your Workspace admin whether Gemini is turned on for your account
- If your tracker is an Excel file (.xlsx), Google says to use File, then Save as Google Sheets first, because Gemini works best on native Sheets files
- Decide where trade pricing lives. Net costs and markup go in a separate file or tab that this tracker never touches
Privacy first. This tracker holds order status, so it needs none of the sensitive details. Use a project code (such as P-101) instead of the client's name, and leave out street addresses, delivery instructions with gate codes, and anything about the client's finances. Check your Google account's Gemini data settings and your Workspace admin's policy on how prompts and sheet content are handled. If the sheet is shared with vendors or a procurement assistant, remember they can see every column.
Steps
1. Open Gemini and describe the table
Open your sheet and click Ask Gemini at the top right. A side panel opens with a prompt box at the bottom. Google's help page says you can ask Gemini to create tables. Type something like this:
Create a procurement tracker table with these columns: Project, Item, Vendor, Status, Expected Ship. Project is a short project code. Item is a short label. Vendor is a vendor name such as Vendor A. Status has these options: Quote requested, Awaiting client approval, Awaiting deposit, Ordered, Shipped, Received, Cancelled. Expected Ship is a date.
Review the table Gemini proposes. Click Insert to add it to the sheet, or Retry for a different version. You can also send follow-up prompts before inserting.
2. Add the Status dropdown
If Gemini did not create the dropdown, ask for it. Google's page lists "Create new dropdowns" among the actions Gemini can perform, and it also says that when you do not name a location the dropdown lands in the rightmost empty column. So name the column:
Create a dropdown in the Status column, rows 2 to 200, with the options Quote requested, Awaiting client approval, Awaiting deposit, Ordered, Shipped, Received, Cancelled.
Gemini shows an action preview card describing what it plans to do. Read it, then click Apply. If the result is wrong, click Undo before you make any other change.
3. Highlight orders that need attention
Google's page also lists conditional formatting as an action. Try:
Highlight the whole row in light red when Expected Ship is before today and Status is not Received and not Cancelled. Leave blank rows alone.
Check the preview card, click Apply, and use Settings on the card if you need to adjust the rule.
4. Test it on five sample rows before real orders go in
Type these invented rows into the table. Today's date in this example is 3 October 2026.
| Project | Item | Vendor | Status | Expected Ship |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P-101 | Harbor Lounge Chair | Vendor A | Ordered | 2026-11-10 |
| P-101 | Oak Side Table | Vendor B | Received | 2026-09-15 |
| P-102 | Linen Drape Panels | Vendor C | Awaiting deposit | 2026-10-01 |
| (leave this row blank) | ||||
| P-102 | Floor Lamp | Vendor A | Shipped | 2026-10-20 |
Only the Linen Drape Panels row should be highlighted: its date has passed and it is still waiting on a deposit. The received side table has a past date but is done, the blank row has no date, and the other two ship in the future. If the blank row lights up or the received order is flagged, ask Gemini to fix the rule, or write the condition yourself in Format, then Conditional formatting.
Then test a formula. Ask: "Create a formula that counts rows where Status is Ordered or Shipped." With the sample data the answer is 2. Compare Gemini's number to your own count every time. If a formula shows an error, hover over the cell and click Fix.
5. Clear out the samples and start tracking
Delete the sample rows, keep the dropdown and highlighting, and enter your real orders. Gemini's conversation history is lost when you reload or close the sheet, so insert anything you want to keep into the sheet itself.
Real Example
Scenario: You run three active projects and a backordered chair got lost in an email thread last month. You want one place that shows what is waiting on a client, what is waiting on a deposit and what is overdue.
What you type: The table prompt from Step 1, then the dropdown and highlighting prompts from Steps 2 and 3.
What you get: A five-column tracker with a status dropdown and red rows for overdue orders. Add a second tab named "Open orders" if you like by asking Gemini for a pivot table that shows a count of items by Status. Google's page lists pivot tables as an action Gemini can perform.
Tips
- Gemini can misread a vague request. Name each column and each status option exactly, and check the action preview card before you click Apply.
- Keep Vendor as a short label such as Vendor A in anything you share, with the real account details in your own vendor list.
- Add a Notes column later for tracking numbers and damage reports. Keep it free of client addresses.
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