AI formula help that lives inside Google Sheets, so you never leave your data.

Millions of people use Sheets. Most of them struggle with formulas.

Google Sheets has over 900 million users. When a formula gets tricky, they open a new tab, search Google, ask ChatGPT, copy the answer and paste it back. Then they fix it when it breaks.

Sheetsbase brings that help into the sheet itself. Describe what you want in plain English, and the formula appears right where you need it.

Every trip to another tab breaks the user’s flow.

Each switch away from the sheet costs focus and time. I called this the context-switch tax, and the goal was to remove it completely.

I talked to 12 power users. They all described the same frustration.

I interviewed analysts at startups, finance teams at larger companies and everyone in between. Formulas are hard, and searching for help breaks their focus.

Who lives in spreadsheets:

• –Analysts who build reports and dashboards every day.
• –Ops teams who track inventory, schedules and workflows.
• –Founders who run finances and planning in Sheets.
• –Students who use Sheets for projects and assignments.

Users don’t just want formulas. They want to understand them.

A tool that only spits out code feels like a black box. Trust had to come before speed.

1. 01

   We learned

   People don’t trust a formula they can’t read.

   So I designed

   Every formula comes with a step-by-step explanation. Users learn as they go, which builds trust.

2. 02

   We learned

   Anything that covers the sheet gets closed.

   So I designed

   A docked side panel that sits beside the data, never on top of it.

3. 03

   We learned

   Power users live on the keyboard.

   So I designed

   A shortcuts tab with 130+ Sheets shortcuts and fully keyboard-driven navigation.

4. 04

   We learned

   Slow answers send people back to Google.

   So I designed

   One input, one result, inserted straight into the active cell.

A small panel forced every decision to earn its space.

The side panel is narrow, so the information architecture had to stay flat. Everything is one click away: generate, explain, shortcuts and history.

Three tabs: write it, understand it, do it faster.

The visual design matches Google’s own UI, so Sheetsbase feels native. The rules were simple: minimal, familiar, one action per screen, and instant feedback. See the full Figma file.

Generate: plain English in, formula out

• –Natural language to formula, including complex logic and cross-sheet references.
• –Inserts straight into the active cell.

Formula: learn how it works

• –A library of 240+ supported formulas and functions.
• –Step-by-step breakdowns, so users understand what they insert.

Shortcuts: built for power users

• –Instant access to 130+ Google Sheets shortcuts.
• –Keyboard-only navigation inside the panel.

Users stopped leaving Sheets to find formulas.

Active installs

100+

Star rating

5.0

User confidence with formulas

+50%

• –Analysts reported saving hours every week.
• –The explanations helped users actually learn formulas.
• –Growth was fully organic, through word of mouth.

What launch taught me

I shipped to the Chrome Web Store early and watched feedback closely. Real usage drove three quick fixes:

• –Faster time to first formula.
• –Clearer error messages when something goes wrong.
• –A short onboarding tutorial for first-time users.

The best tools disappear into the workflow.

Users don’t want to think about the tool. They want to finish their work. By staying inside Sheets, Sheetsbase became part of how people already work.

What I would do differently:

• –Launch even earlier to learn from real usage.
• –Build the explanation feature from day one.
• –Set up product analytics before launch, not after.