A table of contents makes large Google Sheets workbooks (files) much easier to navigate. Instead of scrolling through dozens of sheet tabs, users can jump directly to the sheet or section they need with a single click.

There are two common ways to create a table of contents in Google Sheets:

• Link to different sheets in the workbook.
• Link to specific sections within a worksheet.

This tutorial covers both manual methods.

Method 1: Create a Table of Contents for Navigating Between Sheets

This method is useful when your workbook contains many sheets but users only need quick access to the important ones, such as dashboards, monthly reports, summaries, or input sheets.

Suppose your workbook contains the sheets Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, and Jun.

Step 1: Create an Index Sheet

Click the + (Add Sheet) button and create a new worksheet.

Rename it to Index, Table of Contents, or TOC.

Step 2: Insert Links

Select cell A2.

Choose Insert > Link.

In the dialog box, click Sheets and named ranges.

Select Jan.

Press Enter.

Repeat these steps for the remaining sheets.

Your table of contents is now ready.

Clicking any sheet name opens that worksheet at the last active cell. This approach works well when your workbook structure rarely changes.

Customize the Link Text

If you’d like friendlier names instead of the sheet names:

• Hover over the hyperlink.
• Click the Edit (pencil) icon.
• Replace the displayed text with your preferred label.

Method 2: Create a Table of Contents for Navigating Within a Sheet

Sometimes your data is stored in one large worksheet rather than multiple sheets.

In that case, it’s more useful to jump directly to individual sections within the sheet.

For example, suppose your worksheet contains three tables:

• Day 1
• Day 2
• Day 3

Step 1: Create the Table of Contents

Enter the section names in another location, such as G2:G4, or place them on a separate TOC sheet.

Step 2: Copy the Cell Link

Right-click the first section’s starting cell.

Choose:

View more cell actions → Get link to this cell

Step 3: Insert the Link

Select the corresponding TOC cell.

Choose:

Insert → Link

Paste the copied URL.

Click Apply.

Repeat these steps for the remaining sections.

Now clicking each entry in the table of contents jumps directly to the corresponding section.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I link to a specific cell instead of an entire sheet?

Yes. Use Get link to this cell and insert that URL as a hyperlink in your table of contents.

Can I rename the hyperlink text?

Yes. Edit the display text without changing the destination.

Does Google Sheets have a built-in table of contents?

No. However, you can easily create one manually using hyperlinks or automatically using Apps Script and formulas.

Can I create a table of contents that updates automatically?

Yes. By combining Apps Script with formulas, you can create a table of contents that automatically reflects sheet additions, deletions, and renames. See How to Create a Self-Healing Table of Contents in Google Sheets for a step-by-step guide.

Conclusion

A table of contents is a simple but effective way to improve navigation in Google Sheets.

If your workbook contains a fixed set of sheets or sections, the manual hyperlink methods covered in this tutorial work well and require no scripting. However, if you frequently add, delete, or rename sheets, an automated table of contents may be a better long-term solution.