Formulas

Write calculations with references, suggestions, and spreadsheet errors.

Write a calculation

Select a cell and enter a formula beginning with = in the cell editor or formula bar. Use commas between function arguments, periods for decimal numbers, and double quotes around text.

=A1+B1
=SUM(B2:B20)
=IF(C2>100, "Over budget", "On track")

Press Enter on the completed expression. The grid shows its result; the formula bar keeps the expression. See the function reference for the supported function set and tested examples.

Cell and sheet references

A1 refers to a cell on the current sheet. A1:B3 is a rectangular range. Use a sheet name followed by ! for another sheet. Quote names containing spaces; escape an apostrophe with a second apostrophe.

=Sheet2!A1*2
='Sales 2026'!A1
='Bob''s Data'!A1

Absolute-reference spellings such as $A$1, A$1, and $A1 are accepted. This does not promise Excel-compatible reference rewriting for every copy or fill operation. Text such as "A1" is a string, not a reference.

Use suggestions and reference selection

While typing a function name after =, suggestions appear. Use the Up/Down arrows to select a suggestion and Tab or Enter to insert it. Complete its arguments and closing parenthesis, then press Enter to commit.

Function signatures show required and optional arguments; square brackets indicate optional arguments and are not characters to type. Clicking a cell or dragging a range while editing a formula inserts that reference. References appear in distinct colors in the draft and grid. Press Escape to cancel the formula session.

Operators and compatibility

Arithmetic supports +, -, *, /, %, and exponentiation written as **. Parentheses control evaluation order. Comparisons include =, <>, <, <=, >, and >=. Boolean literals are TRUE and FALSE.

Hugtab implements a constrained formula language, not every Excel function or expression. Conversion of blanks, text, and booleans depends on the function; read its behavior notes. IF evaluates only its chosen branch, so =IF(TRUE, 7, 1/0) returns 7.

Formula errors

Display	Meaning / next step
`#NAME?`	Unknown function or name; check the reference.
`#PARSE!`	Unsupported or malformed expression; check commas, quotes, and parentheses.
`#REF!`	Invalid sheet or cell reference; check the source.
`#CYCLE!`	A formula depends on itself, directly or indirectly; break the cycle.
`#DIV/0!`	Division by zero or an average with no numeric values.
`#VALUE!`	A value cannot be used by this calculation.

Errors in referenced cells can propagate to dependent formulas. Changing a precedent recalculates affected dependents. Imported Excel-only expressions may remain editable but show an error.