We recently launched an AI powered chat editor for spreadsheets.

(It is the same spreadsheet we've been working on for a while, but a new way of interacting with it)

Try it here: chat.subset.so

You can more or less prompt your way to getting any kind of spreadsheet built. Just give the AI enough details to start, send it any broken cells, tell it to fix it, then rinse and repeat. When you're happy, use it like any other spreadsheet, or export to xlsx.

Some tips on using it: Accept or reject edits

• You can accept or reject edits before they are applied to the spreadsheet
• If you don't like the result, keep prompting and ask for changes before accepting
• If it is completely unusable, reject it and try again
• Accept edits with Cmd/Ctrl + Enter, and jump to and from editor or chat with Cmd/Ctrl + /

Building large spreadsheets

• Ask the AI to split up edits into individual parts
• Tell the AI where to build (i.e. "Build the balance sheet on row 54")
• More details = better results
• If you don't know, ask the AI before building

Fixing generated formula errors

• Select the cells with the errors and send it to the chat Cmd/Ctrl+J
• Then simply ask to fix the error
• Try selecting the entire section or region for best results
• The more info the AI has, the better it can fix the errors or make changes

What we're working on adding soon:

• More formulas
• Financial/public market data
• Chat with imported spreadsheets

This past week we fixed a few papercut issues, shipped a big performance improvement to summary statistics calculation.

We also added support for formulas that start with "+" or "-". For example, you can type +A1+5 and it will handle it the same as typing =A1+5.

Other fixes

• Fixed an issue with file names not truncating in upload modal
• Fixed an issue with paste special formats not working with option pressed first
• Fixed an issue with row and column selection not decreasing when selecting the entire sheet

This week we shipped a few features we’ve personally been looking forward to for a while.

The first is paste special, for values, formats, and formulas. You can paste with either the edit menu, context menu, the keyboard shortcuts, or from the command menu. There’s probably more legacy shortcuts worth supporting, so let us know if we missed any. We also plan to expand on the paste special options in the future, but these three felt like the right place to start.

We added support for SUMPRODUCT, a core math function that we skipped in our initial batch of function support.

We also added summary statistics to the sheet footer. Right now, sum, count, and average. More coming.

Finally, we shipped what we’re calling “auto-sum”. I’m not exactly sure what the original name is, but its what happens when you press Alt+= in Excel. It basically sums up the cells you have above your cursor. If there are no cells above, then it will try to sum the cells to the left. It is a handy way to quickly total up a column or row.

We added support for importing styles from .xlsx files. When uploaded, your subset files will include, colors, borders, and cell alignments.

Other fixes

• Made the import dialog look a little nicer
• Added shortcuts for changing sheets with alt+up or down arrow
• Fixed an issue where deleting a row on a formula range another formula depended on caused an incorrect REF error
• Fixed an issue where you were unable to re-enter formula mode when between an open parenthesis and a comma

We shipped a big performance improvement in this release. Everything from uploading files to calculating formulas should run faster now. And undo redo history should be preserved nearly perfectly.

In addition, we made a handful of other quality of life improvements

• Fixed plain text HTML pasting into Subset
• Fixed changing decimals on number formats that use semi-colons
• Added support for IFERROR formula
• Double clicking a cell opens the formula editor in edit mode
• Cutting a cell with a formula that references other cells will translate the formula references automatically
• Undo and redo now supports cell formats and translated formulas
• Tab moves the cursor to the right

A command line for all spreadsheet commands. Just hit cmd + K. Never again forget how to do something in a spreadsheet. And learn the keyboard shortcut for that exact command for the next time!

We decided it was time to dust off the mysterious dark mode landing page drop and share a little more about what we're working on! We hope you like it.

Import XLSX into Subset by simply double clicking them. We're continuing to add more support for features in xlsx files, so let us know if anything doesn't import correctly.

Alt HOI for those who know. Select any range of data, and automatically fit the column width.

Other fixes

• Numbers that are entered with a % sign are automatically percent formatted
• Added blank as the last value in the color cycle
• Fixed an issue with undo not restoring cell formats
• Removed non-breaking spaces when pasting HTML
• Automatically translates full size formula ranges into row or column ranges
• Fixed an issue where % was not parsed correctly in formulas
• Fixed an issue where dividing by zero failed
• Fixed an issue with pressing an arrow key after opening the editor not referencing other cells

We added support for importing CSVs. Simply double click the CSV and it will open in Subset.

Other fixes

• Fixed an issue with negative dollar sign serialization
• Fixed a bug in file deletion when offline
• Fixed an issue with referencing cells that are non-existent
• Automatically append rows or columns if pasting data larger than the sheet
• Fixed an issue with deleting a format when multiple formats overlap
• Fixed an issue where negative row or column indexes were incorrectly showing up
• Fixed an issue with format colors overlapping

No major theme on this edition. Just a lot of little fixes. Here's what we shipped:

• Fixed an issue where the scrollbar is visible by default
• Fixed the general default number format
• Added support for arrow keys in color dropdown menu
• Fixed the loading screen showing up on reload incorrectly
• Added an email us support button
• Added support for undo redo on desktop with shortcut keys
• Fixed an issue with deleting a file not returning to home screen
• Added support for handling decimals with no preceding digit
• Fixed an issue where grid scrolled off screen when using command+arrow keys
• Fixed a CYCLE error where there shouldn't be one
• Added support for argument hints when editing formulas
• Fixed an issue with MIN and MAX on empty ranges

We've finally added support for copy and paste. Paste special is on the way as well. Right now, cut, copy, and paste work for all values, formats, and data. Even paste data from one cell into multiple cells.

The hardest part was getting formula translation and references to work across cut and copy, both of which have different behaviors.

We love shortcut keys at Subset. Especially ones you can trigger using Alt, aka accelerator keys in other spreadsheets. This is just the start, but now you can start formatting without ever touching a mouse.

Try using Option HOI or Option AC. Alt is the option key on the mac if you didn't know!

We're finally getting to releasing the new Subset color scheme and landing page. We're keeping it minimal for now, but we jumped on the dark mode bandwagon.

The templates pages have downloadable files for all templates, and Canvas is now linked in the main menu.

The ability to select cells when typing a formula is another essential part of a spreadsheet. Click or use your keyboard to select cells as references in formulas.

We're grinding through support for all the basics. Cell colors, text formatting, borders, alignment, and more. No spreadsheet is complete without these essentials.

Hey there! We're a small team of developers and finance professionals obsessed with spreadsheets. Now we're building Subset to scratch our own itch of a modern, no-frills, high quality, local-first, multiplayer spreadsheet.