This article explains how cells are addressed in the Formula tab, how to write references in your formulas, and how the values from your input blocks reach the sheet.
Cells use A1 notation
Every cell has an address built from its column letter and row number: A1, B2, D10, and so on. Columns run A, B, C, … Z, then AA, AB, and beyond. References are case-insensitive — b1 and B1 mean the same cell.
To use a value in a formula, reference its cell. For example, if D1 holds the number of users and E1 holds the price per user:
=D1 * E1
Ranges
A colon defines a rectangular range between two corners — D1:D10 is a column of ten cells, D1:F3 is a 3×3 block. Ranges are what functions like SUM and VLOOKUP operate on:
=SUM(D1:D10)
=VLOOKUP(D1, G1:H20, 2, FALSE)
Absolute and mixed references
A $ locks part of a reference so it doesn't change relative to other cells:
$D$1— column and row both locked (absolute)$D1— column locked, row free (mixed)D$1— row locked, column free (mixed)D1— both free (relative)
The dollar signs are honored when formulas are evaluated, so an Excel sheet that uses absolute references behaves the same way after import.
Cross-sheet references
If your project has more than one tab, you can read a cell on another tab by prefixing it with the sheet name and an exclamation mark:
=Rates!B2
='Tax Table'!B3
Wrap the sheet name in single quotes when it contains spaces. Only the first tab receives input values and is read by result blocks; other tabs are static reference data. See Working with multiple sheets / reference data.
Where input values land
Input blocks don't claim a fixed row. Instead, each block is assigned to a cell of your choice, and that cell receives the block's current value as live sample data while you build. The cell reference is stored on the block itself.
When no one has interacted with the calculator yet, each input cell holds the block's default value:
- Input field — its default value (or
0). - Slider — its minimum value.
- Dropdown / Selection / Toggle — the value of the selected option, falling back to the first option.
For the full mechanics of binding a block to a cell, see Assigning input blocks to cells.
Where to go next
- Assigning cells to result blocks — point a result block at a calculated cell
- Formula functions reference — the math you can write in a cell