Zoho Sheet · Data organization · Beginner
Group Rows into a Zoho Sheet Outline
Build nested row groups with visible subtotals, explicit growth and safe ungrouping.
Quick answer
Select detail row headers and choose Data → Group & Ungroup → Group Rows. Keep subtotals outside each detail group, create a parent group around both blocks and verify totals remain unchanged when collapsed.
Build two detail groups inside one parent group so a compact budget keeps its totals visible. Grouping changes presentation; it does not approve access restrictions or remove records.
Enter the complete fixture
Rename the active worksheet Outline. Enter A1 Line, B1 Amount, followed by these rows:
| Row | A | B |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Paper | 12 |
| 3 | Labels | 8 |
| 4 | Supplies subtotal | =SUM(B2:B3) |
| 5 | Bus | 15 |
| 6 | Rail | 25 |
| 7 | Travel subtotal | =SUM(B5:B6) |
| 8 | Grand total | =B4+B7 |
The subtotals are 20 and 40; the total is 60. Summing B2:B7 would double-count the subtotals. Name the cloud file Outline Baseline with File → Save As, record its URL, then make a distinct Outline Working copy using the same command.
Create children, then a parent
- With Outline active, select whole row headers 2:3. Choose Data → Group & Ungroup → Group Rows.
- Select row headers 5:6 and repeat the command. Rows 4 and 7 stay outside their respective detail groups.
- Select row headers 2:7 and group them. Zoho documents that an existing group inside the new range becomes a subgroup.
- Click the first child group’s minus control: rows 2:3 collapse while row 4 remains visible. B8 should still be 60. Expand it with plus.
- Collapse the second child: rows 5:6 disappear while row 7 remains visible. Expand it.
- Collapse the parent: rows 2:7 disappear, leaving row 8 and the header visible. Expand the parent and then any still-collapsed children. Do not assume opening a parent changes every child’s remembered state.
Use the plus/minus controls, not ordinary row hiding, so the group boundaries remain inspectable. Right-clicking a control exposes group management, including Expand all groups, Collapse all groups, and Remove Group. Control position may be moved; identify it by the rows it governs rather than its screen position alone.
Change and growth checks
With all rows expanded, change B3 to 10. B4 becomes 22 and B8 becomes 62; collapsing the parent must not change either calculation. To add a separate future block without risking nested-boundary expansion, enter A10 Taxi, B10 6, A11 Ferry, B11 4, A12 Extra travel, B12 =SUM(B10:B11). Group rows 10:11 and change B8 to =B4+B7+B12. The new total is 72, whether either group is collapsed or expanded. There is a deliberate empty row 9. This demonstrates explicit growth rather than claiming inserted rows are automatically included in old groups.
Columns use Group Columns and Ungroup Columns on selected column headers; this exercise keeps both columns visible so its row totals remain readable.
Preserve the finished outline, then test removal
Use File → Save As to retain Outline Complete; record its URL. Reopen that file, activate Outline, expand all groups and confirm B4=22, B7=40, B12=10, B8=72. Re-collapse the parent if you want a compact final view.
Only in a separate Outline Reset copy, expand everything, select rows 2:7 and choose Data → Group & Ungroup → Ungroup Rows. Inspect the remaining child brackets: do not assume removing the parent removes all nested groups. Use each remaining bracket’s Remove Group command, including rows 10:11, until none remain. Values and formulas must still total 72. If a subtotal vanishes with its detail, rebuild that group using only the detail rows. If the total changes, examine formulas and edited cells; collapse is not a calculation rule.
Scope and verification
Zoho Sheet web editor, English interface, rolling service; cached official documentation retrieved 2026-10-19 and reviewed 2026-10-20. Requires edit access to a private practice spreadsheet. Native browser execution and screenshots are not verified; desktop/offline and mobile parity are outside scope.
The fixture values and state transitions were independently checked outside Zoho Sheet. No account was opened, no native run was performed and no application screenshot is claimed. If your controls differ, stop and consult the current help rather than applying another platform’s instructions.