Named Ranges

Named ranges in Sheetrocks allow users to assign meaningful, human-readable names to specific ranges within a workbook, making it easier to reference these ranges in formulas and across complex calculations. This feature is particularly useful when working with large datasets or multi-step calculations, as it improves the clarity and manageability of formulas.

What are Named Ranges?

A named range is a way to assign a descriptive label to a specific cell or range of cells in your workbook. Instead of referencing cells like B2:B10 in a formula, you can define a named range (e.g., TilePrice), which makes the formula easier to read and maintain.

Why are Named Ranges Important?

Named ranges simplify complex workbooks by:

· Making formulas more readable and easier to understand.
· Helping to manage and track multiple ranges across different sheets in a workbook.
· Reducing the chances of errors when creating and modifying formulas.
· Improving the audit-ability of your workbook by making it clear what each formula is doing at a glance.

For example, instead of using B2 * B3 in a formula for calculating the area of a space, you could use named ranges like Length * Width, making the calculation more understandable for users reviewing the sheet.

Key Features of Named Ranges

Workbook-wide Scope: Named ranges are global within a workbook, meaning they can be referenced from any sheet in that workbook.
Cross-Sheet References: Named ranges can be used to reference data from multiple sheets, making them ideal for complex workbooks where data is distributed across various sheets.
Human-Readable Formulas: By using named ranges, you make your formulas clearer and more intuitive. For example, a formula like Length * Width is easier to read than B2 * B3.

Setting Up Named Ranges

Here’s how you can create a named range in Sheetrocks:

1. Right-click on a Range: Select a range in your sheet, right-click, and choose the option to create a named range. The selected range will automatically be populated into the named range dialog box.
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2. Name the Range: Assign a clear and descriptive name to your range (e.g., TilePrice, TotalSales). Optionally, you can tag this range as an input or output, which will help later with permissions and automation.
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3. Use the Named Range in Formulas: Once a range is named, you can use it in any formula across your workbook. For example, instead of using cell references like B2, you can use Length to make your formulas more readable.
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4. Edit or Manage Named Ranges: You can view, edit, or delete named ranges through the Named Ranges management view. This is accessible through the edit menu or by right-clicking on a cell.

Bulk Creating Named Ranges

Sheetrocks allows you to automatically create multiple named ranges at once:

1. Select a Table: Highlight a table with labels on the left and values on the right (or a header row with columns below).
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2. Auto-Create Named Ranges: Automatically generate named ranges based on your labels. The system will infer names from your labels and apply them to the respective ranges, saving you time when working with large datasets.

Note: When auto-generating inputs and outputs, the algorithm goes based off of the "flow" of a calculation. If a cell is on the "leaf" of the calculation graph, it's an input, if it's the "root" it's an output, anything else is assigned neither.

Debugging and Error Handling

Sheetrocks allows you to automatically create multiple named ranges at once:

Run Time: The total time taken to execute the webhook.
Console Output: Any console.log statements within your JavaScript file will appear in the logs, making it easy to debug issues.
Error Messages: If the webhook fails, error messages will be logged for further inspection.

These logs are available directly within the webhook interface, making it easy to diagnose and fix any issues.

Common Integrations

Sheetrocks webhooks integrate easily with external services and APIs. Some common integrations include:

Stripe: Use webhooks to handle payment events, such as receiving notifications when a customer completes a purchase.
Slack: Integrate Slack to send real-time updates from your Sheetrocks workbook to a Slack channel.
QuickBooks: Automatically update financial records in QuickBooks based on data in your workbook.

⚠️ Security Considerations ⚠️

‍Private by Default: All webhook data is processed in a secure, server-side environment. Webhooks are authenticated per user, ensuring that data remains protected.

‍Access Control: Be mindful of who has access to your webhook endpoints, especially if they handle sensitive data.

Error Handling: Sheetrocks securely handles failed webhook deliveries and logs errors for troubleshooting.

Note: One aspect that might be unconventional is how Sheetrocks handles request and response data through files (request.json and response.json). This file-based approach ensures strict security boundaries but can feel unfamiliar to developers used to working with objects in memory. Once understood, however, it offers a secure and manageable way to process requests.