Google Gemini: AI Productivity Guide – AINet

Google Spreadsheets: Multi-step tasks in plain English

In the October 2025 Sheets update, The compound prompt feature has been introduced. Gemini can now execute multiple tasks in a single request.

What is actually possible

before: A separate prompt had to be entered for each task. I added the columns, formatted them, added a formula, and fixed the header.

today: Do it all with one prompt.

Example prompt:

Add dropdowns for the Status and Priority columns with options (Not Started, In Progress, Complete) and (Low, Medium, High), insert a formula column calculating Days Until Due Date, add a Completed checkbox column, and freeze the header row.

Step 1: google sheets Open the spreadsheet in .

Step 2: Click “Ask Gemini” (spark icon, top right).

Step 3: Describe what you want in natural language. It must be comprehensive.

Step 4: Please review the proposed changes before accepting them.

hour: Complex forms that used to take 10 minutes to click can now be typed and reviewed in 30 seconds.

Supported operations

google docs According to Gemini, it now handles:

Restrictions: Very complex nested formulas or macros may require manual intervention. Additionally, Gemini cannot access external data sources without explicit configuration. If the prompt fails, try breaking it up into two or three smaller requests.

Deep Dive: Your Workspace Becomes the Source

This is my favorite feature for people who are busy with internal documents. Deep Research Now import data from Gmail, Google Chat, and Drive (including Docs, Sheets, Slides, and PDFs) to generate investigative reports.

How it works

Step 1: on desktop Gemini Open.

Step 2: Select “Deep Dive” from the Tools menu.

Step 3: Source selection – You can now include Gmail, Drive, and Chat along with web sources.

Step 4: Enter your research questions

Step 5: Please allow 5 to 15 minutes to receive a comprehensive report.

Example use case: “We analyze the third quarter strategy document in line with public market trends in enterprise software.” – Deep Research synthesizes internal Drive files and web sources into a single report.

Save time: What used to take two to three hours to manually research and synthesize can now be done in just 15 minutes.

Restrictions: This feature accesses only Workspace content that the user has permission to view. If your sensitive information is in a coworker’s personal folder or a shared drive on another team that you don’t have access to, Gemini won’t be able to find it. Additionally, AI can sometimes overweight recent documents, so it’s a good idea to explicitly reference older material where essential.

Audio Overview: Turn Your Documents into Podcasts

The audio overview is usually NotebookLM It’s been a feature, but it’s now available right in the Gemini app and Google Drive.

function: Two AI hosts synthesize your content into an interactive podcast-style discussion, summarizing material and making connections between topics.

How to use it in Gemini:

Step 1: Gemini Upload a document or slide to

Step 2: Look for the “Audio Overview” suggestion chip above the prompt bar.

Step 3: Click Create (this will take 2-5 minutes depending on the length of your content)

Step 4: Download audio for offline listening

How to use it in Drive:

Step 1: Google Drive Open PDF from

Step 2: Click the option to create an audio outline or use the Gemini side panel.

Step 3: Audio files (2 to 10 minutes) are saved directly to Drive.

Best suited for: It’s perfect for tackling long reports, preparing for meetings, or catching up on documents you’ve been putting off during your commute.

Restrictions: Currently only English is available for most users. AI hosts sometimes miss nuances, overemphasize minutiae, or make connections incorrectly. Please use it as an auxiliary tool for reading, not as a replacement for important documents.

advanced technology

Here’s what I experimented with: There are also some that go beyond basic tutorials.

Chained prompts on sheets

Build iteratively instead of making large requests all at once. First prompt: “Add a status column with a dropdown option.” Second prompt: “Now add conditional formatting. Green for completed, yellow for in progress, red for not started.”

This gives you more control and makes debugging easier when problems arise.

Cross-source in-depth research

True power comes from combining internal and external sources. Try saying, “Compare our product roadmap documents to those of our competitors over the past six months.” Deep Research combines Drive files and web sources into one analysis tool.

Audio overview to prepare for meetings

Before an important meeting, create an audio outline based on relevant email threads, past meeting minutes, and background documents. Listen to it during your commute. I have spent twice as long reading material as my colleagues, yet I have come to meetings better prepared.

Presentation-Document Pipeline

Create presentations in Canvas, export and polish them to Slides, then use Gemini in Docs to expand key slides into reference material. AI maintains context throughout your workflow.

What Gemini Can’t Do (yet)

Before rebuilding your entire workflow around these tools:

common: All features require a stable internet connection. When offline, Gemini options disappear.

slide: The “Beautify” feature works best for text. Complex charts or custom graphics often don’t work well. AI doesn’t know your brand guidelines, but it can add them to your prompts.

sheet: Multi-step prompts work well for simple tasks. However, very complex nested formulas, custom scripts, or macros still require manual intervention.

Deep dive: Access only content you have permission to view. You can’t search Slack, external drives, or enterprise systems outside of Google Workspace.

Audio overview: It is only available in English for most users. Sometimes we miss nuances or over-emphasize small details.

All features: Results will vary depending on the quality of the prompt. Ambiguous requests lead to ambiguous results. The more specific you are, the better results you will get.

Note to Microsoft

If your organization uses Microsoft 365 Copilot It offers similar functionality integrated into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. The functionality is not the same, but the strategic logic is the same. AI built into a productivity suite is more effective than when leveraged as a separate AI tool.

I’m only using Copilot in the Microsoft Office suite on my Mac, and I haven’t had a very satisfactory experience with it. I’m not sure how much better the experience would be on Windows.

This guide focuses on Google’s implementation, but the basic principles apply to both ecosystems. That means choosing a platform and taking a deep dive.

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