CRX id
mpmhigblgggpkgiddiccjnkmcgnceglh
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Description from extension meta
Formula Explorer brings step-by-step formula breakdowns, interactive precedent tracing and formatting utilities to Google Sheets.
Image from store
Description from store
Designed for financial analysts, accountants, modelers, and power users, Formula Explorer brings step-by-step formula debugging, precedent tracing, and keyboard-driven formatting to your spreadsheets.
Effortlessly analyze complex formulas, navigate every input cell, and apply formatting quickly using customizable keyboard shortcuts.
Keyboard shortcuts are fully supported on Windows, Mac and Linux:
• For shortcuts starting with ALT, press and release each key in the order listed
• For shortcuts starting with CTRL, press and hold each key as you go — do not release any until all keys have been pressed.
ALT is replaced with Option on a Mac. CTRL on a PC maps to Control on a Mac.
Experience powerful Excel-style workflows tailored specifically for Google Sheets:
➤ Calculation Steps – Break Down Any Formula With Full Transparency
Shortcut: Ctrl + Q
• See step-by-step how any formula is calculated, including intermediate values.
• Logical functions like IF, IFS, and CHOOSE highlight active branches so you know exactly what path is taken.
• Lookup and reference functions like VLOOKUP, OFFSET, INDEX, and INDIRECT display their resolved target locations.
• Support for the LET function – view variable assignments and evaluate reusable logic clearly and sequentially.
• Use the Left and Right arrow keys to expand or collapse nested function layers.
• Use the Up and Down arrow keys to jump to referenced cells.
• Click directly inside the formula to get insights into specific sub-expressions.
• Enable Sandbox Sheet Evaluation under Settings → Formula Evaluation to ensure fast and smooth breakdowns even in very large or slow-loading sheets.
• Seamlessly integrated with Google Sheets' design — no jarring overlays or context switches.
• Familiar keyboard-driven experience for Excel users — no mouse needed.
It’s the only tool that offers full, step-by-step breakdowns of formula logic directly inside your spreadsheet. Formula Explorer also helps you debug complex formulas by making it easy to spot logic errors, incorrect references, or unexpected behavior — all without manual inspection.
➤ Trace Precedents – See All Formula Inputs In One Place
Shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + Q
• View all cells referenced by your formula in a single, organised window.
• Navigate through precedent cells quickly using just the Up and Down arrow keys.
• Edit your spreadsheet freely — no need to close the Trace Precedents window.
• Explore deeper layers by expanding precedents of precedents using the Right and Left arrow keys
• Click inside the formula to navigate instantly to specific range.
• Close the window instantly with the "Esc" key — no mouse required.
• Designed with a workflow similar to powerful Excel add-ons.
➤ Utilities Tool – Apply, Cycle, Customise Formatting, Copy Sum and Paste Special
Enhance your formatting workflow with the Utilities tool — a flexible solution to apply and cycle through your most-used formatting styles efficiently using custom keyboard shortcuts.
• Choose from utilities like Number Format, Font Color, Fill Color, Copy Sum and Paste Special.
• Add multiple utilities of the same type with different settings (e.g. blue font vs. green font).
• Assign keyboard shortcuts to individual utilities — or group several under the same shortcut to cycle through them.
• Use custom Name Suffixes to label utilities and keep them organized.
• Perfect for analysts who use consistent formatting to indicate formulas, hardcodes, or links.
Paste Special brings Excel-style flexibility into Google Sheets by letting you control how the Copy operation behaves. Choose from options like values only, formats only, formulas only, transposed data, column widths only, or everything except borders. By default, a dedicated dialog is available with Alt + E + S, and you can also assign direct shortcuts to your most-used Paste Special modes for a faster workflow.
Whether you're refining financial models or maintaining shared templates, Utilities streamlines repetitive tasks — from applying consistent formatting to copying the sum of a selected range — while keeping your workflow efficient and distraction-free.
New utilities are always included automatically on first install. On extension upgrades, they appear in your Available Utilities list, and you can either assign them manually or press Reset to Defaults to add them with their default settings.
Our Current Tools, Customizable Shortcuts, and Defaults:
• Calculation Steps – Step-by-step formula breakdown – Ctrl + Q.
• Trace Precedents – See all referenced cells and navigate dependencies – Ctrl + Shift + Q.
• Number Format Cycle – Quickly switch between general number formats – Ctrl + Shift + 1.
• Percent Format Cycle – Toggle percent styles with one shortcut – Ctrl + Shift + 2.
• Date Format Cycle – Cycle through common date formats – Ctrl + Shift + 3.
• USD Currency Format Cycle – Apply and switch between USD currency formats – Ctrl + Shift + 4.
• EUR & GBP Currency Format Cycle – Toggle between Euro and Pound formats – Ctrl + Shift + 5.
• Logical Value Format Cycle – Format TRUE/FALSE values in your preferred style – Ctrl + Shift + 6.
• Font Color Format Cycle – Cycle between custom font colors – Ctrl + ‘.
• Fill Color Format Cycle – Quickly apply or toggle between fill color presets – Ctrl + Shift + K.
• Copy Sum – Copy the sum of the selected range to the clipboard – Ctrl + Shift + S.
• Paste Special – Open the Paste Special dialog (Alt + E + S) or bind direct shortcuts to specific Paste Special modes.
Customize all shortcuts by clicking the Formula Explorer icon in the top-right corner of Google Sheets.
After installation, log in with your Google Account to activate your free license. Formula Explorer only accesses your spreadsheet while you're actively analyzing formulas or precedents.
We never access, store, or share your sheet data.For more details, see our Security Policy at https://www.cognisheets.com/legal/security and Privacy Policy at https://cognisheets.com/legal/privacy.html.
Free to use. Actively developed and currently in BETA.
Boost your spreadsheet productivity — with confidence and clarity — using Formula Explorer.