Calc formula assistant
Ask for a formula in plain language, inspect the proposal, then approve write-back into your sheet. Nothing lands in cells until you say yes.
What this page helps with
When you know the business logic (“sum paid invoices by month”, “flag overdue rows”) but not the exact formula, Calc’s formula assistant drafts a candidate. You keep control of which cells change.
Recommended path
- Open a spreadsheet or start from a budget / attendance template.
- Select the target cells or nearby data region.
- Open Kequan AI and choose a formula / summary style chip, or type the request.
- Read the dry-run summary: intended range, sample result, and explanation.
- Approve write-back. If validation fails, confirm only when the range is intentional.
- Add edit memory when needed (for example “never overwrite the amount column”).
Related Calc capabilities
- Formula assistant — propose
=formulas with short explanations. - Data cleaning — normalize messy imports before you calculate.
- Summaries & charts — higher-level helpers that still respect write-back gates.
- Interpretation — ask what a region means without forcing a replace.
Trust chain in spreadsheets
The same DocumentAIApply path as Writer applies: draft → human review → approve → optional soft validation → undo write-back. Consult-only answers without a write-back block will not silently replace cell values.
Practical tips
- Name the range in your prompt (“column B paid amounts, rows 2–200”).
- Prefer dry-run on a small sample before approving a large fill.
- Keep currency and ID columns protected via edit memory.
- After write-back, spot-check totals against a known sample row.
Limits
- Not every Excel add-in or VBA macro is covered.
- Ambiguous requests can produce plausible but wrong ranges — always read the dry-run.
- Cloud or local models may differ in formula style; the approval gate does not change.
Related reading
FAQ
Will the formula write itself into cells immediately?
No. Formulas enter the sheet only after you approve write-back.
Can I keep formulas local without uploading the workbook?
Yes. Kequan is local-first; optional cloud models are separate from the default on-device workflow.
What if validation fails after approve?
You get a second confirmation. Cancel if the range looks wrong; force only when intentional.
Does this replace learning spreadsheets?
No. It accelerates drafting. You still own correctness of business rules and ranges.