Spreadsheet Editor

Common questions

Which formulas and functions does it support?

Arithmetic with +, -, *, / and ^, a percent sign (50% is 0.5), & to join text, and the comparisons =, <>, <, <=, > and >=, which give TRUE or FALSE. References can be relative (B2), fixed with $ ($B$2 or B$2), a range (A1:C9) or on another sheet (Sheet2!A1, or 'Q3 figures'!A1 when the name has a space). The functions are SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX, COUNT and IF, in any letter case. Inside a range, SUM, AVERAGE, MIN and MAX use the numbers and skip text, TRUE/FALSE and empty cells, and COUNT counts the numbers and skips errors as well. Any other function name shows #NAME? and is never run, and there are no macros, named ranges or links to other files. A minus sign binds before ^ and ^ works left to right, so -2^2 is 4 and 2^3^2 is 64.

What happens with a circular reference?

Every cell in the loop shows #CYCLE!, and the inspector names the path, for example Circular reference: A1 → B1 → A1. A cell that reads a looping cell shows #CYCLE! too, with a note saying which cell the error comes from. Nothing is iterated or guessed, so changing any cell on the path recalculates the rest. IF only follows the branch its test picks, so =IF(B1>0, A1, 7) typed into A1 is a loop only while B1 is above zero; otherwise A1 shows 7.

How does sorting treat formulas and the header row?

Sort A to Z and Sort Z to A in the Data menu move whole rows by the column of the selected cell: every cell in a row moves together with its format. If you select two or more rows, just those rows are sorted; otherwise every row down to the last filled one is, and row 1 stays in place while Row 1 is a header is ticked. In A to Z order numbers come before text, then TRUE and FALSE, then errors, and Z to A reverses that; empty cells stay at the bottom either way, text ignores letter case and ties keep their order. A moved formula behaves like a copied one: its relative references shift by the rows it moved, so =B2*10 still reads its own row, while $ references stay put. Formulas outside the sorted rows are not rewritten.

What does the CSV download do with text that looks like a formula?

Text that starts with =, +, -, @, a tab or a line break, or with spaces and then one of =, +, - or @, is written with a leading apostrophe, so a spreadsheet program treats it as text instead of running it. Numbers, negative ones included, are written as numbers. The file holds the sheet you are on, as calculated values from A1 to its last filled cell: numbers to 15 significant digits, TRUE and FALSE, and errors as their code, such as #DIV/0!. Fields with commas, quotes or line breaks are quoted by the CSV rules, and CSV and TSV downloads begin with a UTF-8 byte order mark so accented letters open correctly. To keep the formulas themselves, download the project instead.

Can I paste from Excel or Google Sheets?

Yes. Select a cell and press Ctrl+V or Cmd+V: tab-separated rows land from that cell down and to the right, and a copied cell with line breaks inside quotes stays whole. Pasted text is always a value, never a formula, and leading zeros such as 007 or numbers with more than 15 significant digits stay text so no digit is lost. File, Paste rows as text takes comma- or semicolon-separated rows as well. Ctrl+C or Cmd+C copies the selected cells as tab-separated values, with formula-like text given an apostrophe the same way as in the CSV.

How big can a workbook be, and can it open Excel files?

Up to ten sheets and 10,000 filled or formatted cells in total, on a grid that runs from A1 to ZZ100000. A file, paste or edit that would go past a limit is refused with the reason, and nothing is cut off or half imported. It opens CSV and TSV files and projects saved from this page. An .xlsx workbook is recognised and refused, so save it as CSV first, for example with the spreadsheet converter. Semicolon-separated files are detected, and a file that is not UTF-8 is read as Windows-1252 and the page says so. Files are read in the background and a read can be cancelled; one that takes longer than 2 minutes is stopped.

Where is my work saved?

In this browser's local storage, a moment after each change, along with the sheet you were on. Nothing is uploaded: files are read by a background worker on this page. If the browser blocks or fills its storage, the page says so and the workbook stays open until you close the tab, so download the project to keep it. Start over, above the tool, clears the saved copy, and Undo and Redo reach back 50 steps.

How do I edit a CSV file online?

Use File, Open file and choose a CSV or TSV. Select a cell, edit its contents in the formula bar and press Apply. The menus let you insert or delete rows and columns, fill a selection down or right, and sort by the selected column. Use File, Download CSV for the active sheet or Download project to keep formulas and formatting. Importing into a nonempty sheet creates another sheet; start a new workbook first if you want only the imported table.

Can I create a blank spreadsheet without signing up?

Yes. File, New spreadsheet starts an empty workbook, and the formula bar lets you enter text, numbers and formulas such as =SUM(B2:B5). Work is saved in this browser when storage is available. It is not an online account: download the project before switching devices or clearing browser data.

Can several people edit or share the spreadsheet online?

There is no shared link, live collaboration, cloud account or synchronization. Download a CSV to share calculated values, or a project JSON to let another person reopen the workbook in this editor. Copies are independent; later edits do not synchronize. The tool does not host public or password-protected spreadsheets.

Can I edit an XLSX workbook or export Excel and PDF files?

This editor accepts CSV, TSV and its own project JSON. To work with XLSX values, first use <a href="/spreadsheet-converter">Spreadsheet Converter</a> to export one sheet as CSV, then open that file here. Download the edited CSV and use the converter again for <a href="/spreadsheet-converter/csv-to-xlsx">XLSX output</a> or a <a href="/spreadsheet-converter/to-pdf">table PDF</a>. That handoff carries values, not the original formulas, formatting, charts or multiple-sheet workbook.

Can I edit a large CSV file, filter rows or make charts?

The editor accepts at most 10,000 filled or formatted cells across ten sheets. It is intended for small tables; there is no unlimited-file claim. For text filtering or viewing larger CSV files, use <a href="/csv-viewer">CSV Viewer</a>, subject to browser memory. The editor has no filter rules, chart builder, pivot tables, find-and-replace or AI editing.

Does it work on Mac, Windows, Linux or mobile?

Use a current browser and a local CSV, TSV or saved project. The same grid works without Excel or an installed app. A desktop keyboard is useful for selection and navigation; on a phone, select a cell and use the formula bar to edit it. There is no downloadable application, extension or command-line interface.

Can I use this for a simple budget or list?

You can enter your own labels and amounts and calculate totals with SUM or averages with AVERAGE. The tool supplies an empty grid, not budget templates, connected bank data, accounting validation or a bill-management service. Check the formulas and download a project if you need to keep them.