Sheets offers functions for sorting and filtering data that are typically only found in the menu options of other spreadsheet programs, or not found at all in the cases of SORTN and UNIQUE. On the desktop version of Sheets, the SORT and FILTER functions are available through the menus as shown in the pictures below, while the tablet version has a ‘Create a filter’ option in the more (three circles in a vertical line) menu on the right hand side of the screen.
Filter button on the desktop toolbar
Sort options in the desktop menus
Filter option on tablet app
The UNIQUE function, which does not exist as a function in Excel, removes duplicate rows of data in a spreadsheet. Another Sheets-only function, SORTN, returns n number of items from a range of data.
All filter functions
The ability to use these as functions is what sets Sheets apart from the competition.
