Skip to main content

Concepts

This section covers Lido spreadsheet concepts that go beyond individual formulas — features that affect how cells behave, how data is shared, and how you can extend the formula language.

Named Cells​

Any cell in a Lido spreadsheet can be given a name. The name input is located to the left of the formula bar — click it and type a name to assign one.

Once a cell is named, you can reference it by name in any formula across the spreadsheet:

=MyNamedCell * 2

Named Lambdas as Custom Formulas​

Named cells become especially powerful when combined with LAMBDA. If you name a cell that contains a LAMBDA formula, the cell name becomes a callable custom formula throughout your spreadsheet.

Example:

  1. Select a cell and enter: =LAMBDA(x, x * 2 + 1)
  2. Click the name box (to the left of the formula bar) and type DOUBLE_PLUS_ONE
  3. Now use it anywhere: =DOUBLE_PLUS_ONE(5) → 11

This pattern is the foundation for creating custom JavaScript macros:

  1. Name a cell PARSE_DATE
  2. Enter: =LAMBDA(text, EVALJS("new Date('" & text & "').toISOString().split('T')[0]"))
  3. Use it: =PARSE_DATE("March 15, 2026") → "2026-03-15"

You can build a library of named lambda cells on a dedicated sheet to create a reusable set of custom formulas for your spreadsheet.

Tips​

  • Cell names must be unique within the spreadsheet
  • Names are case-insensitive when used in formulas
  • Named cells can be referenced across sheets without sheet prefixes

Local-Only Cells​

A cell can be marked as local-only, which means its value is separate for every user who has the spreadsheet open. Each user sees and edits their own independent value in that cell.

How It Works​

  • When a cell is marked as local-only, the cell's text content is stored per-user rather than being shared
  • Each user's local value is tracked independently via the CRDT (conflict-free replicated data type) system
  • Other users cannot see or overwrite another user's local cell value

Use Cases​

  • User-specific filters: Let each user set their own filter criteria without affecting others
  • Personal dashboard inputs: Dashboard input components backed by local-only cells give each user their own controls
  • Draft/scratch areas: Users can work on data independently before committing to shared cells
  • User context: Store per-user preferences or state that formulas can read via INPUTVALUE

Tips​

  • Local-only affects only the cell's text content — formatting and other properties remain shared
  • Formulas that reference a local-only cell will compute different results for different users
  • Use local-only cells with dashboard components to build multi-user applications where each user has their own view of the data