How to Remove Inappropriate Functions in Google Sheets

Introduction

This article will guide you why and how to remove inappropriate functions in Google Sheets. Google Sheets is one the important Google Workspace tool used by students for learning. Google Sheets offer many functionalities to support students to learn and complete their work faster. Sometimes, the benefits causes problem in students growth. The in-built functions of Google Sheets, restrict students from exploring on their own and hence they loose the capability of researching and finding the answers. One of such feature is functions provided in Sheets. Functions are the pre-defined formulas that you can add to your spreadsheets to automatically calculate and manipulate data.

In this blog you will know how xFanatical Safe Doc helps in disabling inappropriate functions in Google Sheets and promote focused learning environment.

xFanatical Safe Doc removes inappropriate Insert > Function > Web  functions in Google Sheets

Why Remove Inappropriate Functions in Google Sheets for Education?

In an educational setting, Google Sheets is beneficial for data analysis. It is important to remove the inappropriate functions to promote students to learn to solve the problems by their own research and not with the help of pre-defined functions. The inappropriate functions like IMPORTXML or IMPORTDATA, may fetch irrelevant content into the sheets. This exposes to security risk and malicious attacks.

Let’s understand the scenario through a user story:

• Problem: One fine day, teacher Daniel assigned a data management task to his high school students. Instead of completing the task by their own, students relied on Google Sheets functions to solve the problems. This may also cause dishonesty among students during tests and exams.
  
• Solution:  To stop this behavior, Daniel researched for the solution and found Safe Doc. Safe Doc implemented policy, blocks the IMPORT functions in Google Sheets. The policy prevents students from importing external data and unauthorized content.
  
• Result: After implementing the policy, Daniel noticed a significant improvement in student focus and the quality of their submissions. The assignments were completed using the provided data sets and improved safe and focused learning environment.

What is a xFanatical Safe Doc?

xFanatical Safe Doc is a browser extension for Google Workspace users. It provides various useful policies to build safe and productive learning environment. Safe Doc's one of the effective policy is to block inappropriate functions in Google Sheets. Additionally, it offers policies to prevent students from adding other friends to Google Meet, prevent from sending feedback in Google Workspace, stop late assignment submissions in Google Classroom etc.

Remove Inappropriate Functions in Google Sheets with xFanatical Safe Doc

Google Sheets offers a various powerful functions for students to perform complex calculations and data manipulations. However, in educational settings, the functions like IMPORTRANGE, GOOGLEFINANCE can be misused for cheating during exams.

xFanatical Safe Doc provides BlockSheetFunctions policy to block inappropriate functions in Google Sheets. Once the policy is set, students wont be able to use those functions.

xFanatical Safe Doc removes Function > Web inappropriate functions in Google Sheets

Safe Doc hides Help > search the menus > inappropriate functions in Google Sheets

xFanatical Safe Doc removes inappropriate functions from cells in Google Sheets

How to Remove Inappropriate Functions in Google Sheets with xFanatical Safe Doc

Step 1: Install xFanatical Safe Doc
To gets started install Safe Doc in your Google Workspace environment.

Step 2: Configure Safe Doc settings
Once you install Safe Doc successfully, configure its settings to remove inappropriate functions in Google Sheets.

Step 3: Access Google Admin Console
Now, navigate to the Google Admin Console. In the Google Admin Console, click on Devices followed by Chrome. Then, select Apps & Extensions and click on Users & Browsers.

Step 4: Review the Policy
Find the policy and set it's value as per your requirement. The policy will look like below:

"BlockSheetFunctions": {
  "Value": ["IMPORTDATA", "IMPORTXML"]
}

Step 5: Save the Policy
Finally, click the Save.

How to configure Safe Doc?

Ensure the deployment of Safe Doc on your students' Chrome browsers, and review the xFanatical Safe Doc Configuration document for detailed instructions.

Block External URLs for Google Sheets Functions

In the Google Sheets, these 5 import functions, IMPORTHTML, IMPORTDATA, IMPORTFEED, IMPORTXML and IMPORTRANGE will access resources from the internet. Students can retrieve improper data from online. As an administrator, you can decide which external domains your students can interact with through Google Sheets.

Supported editions for this feature: Business Plus, Enterprise Standard and Enterprise Plus, Education Standard and Education Plus, Enterprise Essentials Plus.

Step 1: Review current URL activity

Before enabling your allow list, take time to review which URLs are being accessed by Sheets. This is essential to determine which URLs are appropriate and align with your organization’s security policies. Please go through the process of reviewing Drive log events using the Audit and investigation tool. 

Step 2: Add URLs to your allow list

Before you block importing and fetching from all URLs, add the appropriate URLs allowlist so that workflows that use them aren’t blocked.

Steps to Configure the Allowlist:

1. Sign in to the Google Admin Console with your administrator account. Non-administrator accounts do not have access to the required settings.
2. Go to Apps > Google Workspace > Drive and Docs > Features and Applications.
3. Select Importing and fetching from URLs.
4. (Optional) To limit the setting to certain users, choose an organizational unit (e.g., departments) or a configuration group on the side panel.
5. Under Allow importing and fetching only from the following URLs, follow these steps:
   1. Click Enter item.
   2. Enter the URL you want to allow, keeping the following rules in mind:
      • You can enter URLs with or without a protocol (e.g., https://www.example.com, http://www.example.com, or www.example.com will all allow the same URLs).
      • Only https:// and http:// protocols are supported. Protocols like ftp:// are not.
      • The URL will match itself and its paths. For example:
        • www.example.com allows access to www.example.com, www.example.com/home, and www.example.com/contact.
        • www.example.com/home allows access to www.example.com/home and www.example.com/home/page, but not www.example.com or www.example.com/contact.
      • You can use a single wildcard * for subdomains. For example, https://*.example.com allows access to https://sub1.example.com and https://sub2.example.com, but not https://example.com.
   3. Click Add.
   4. Repeat for additional URLs. You can add up to 1,000 URLs.
6. Save Your Changes.
   1. Once you’ve added all necessary URLs, click Save.
   2. If you’re applying this setting to an organizational unit, you may see an Override option. Use this if needed.
   3. To revert back to the inherited setting later, click Inherit (or Unset for a group).

Step 3: Verify blocking on the students' Google Sheets

When students use IMPORT function with links beyond the allow-list configured in Step 2, the function will resolve as #REF! with an error message Admin has not allowed imports from: {URL}. Please reach out to your Admin if you'd like to allow access.

Conclusion

In conclusion, blocking functions in Google Sheets promotes focused and secured learning environments. Limiting functions usage will help in keeping data accurate and not fetching data from unknown source. Additionally, students solve their data analytics problems on their own without pre-built functions.

Learn more about enhancing online safety in your institution with xFanatical Safe Doc by visiting our website ana install Safe Doc to get 30 days free trial.

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