Abstract: Block properties and improved calculated columns properties are provided in a spreadsheet application. Once block properties are set for a group of spreadsheet cells or a spreadsheet list, the properties may be applied to the entire group of selected cells or list as opposed to requiring application of properties to individual cells. If rows or columns are added to the group of selected cells or list, properties applied to the group of cells or list are automatically applied to the new rows or columns. Block properties also provide for intelligent-behaving list borders where list borders are not corrupted by the movement or changing of columns or rows sharing edges with a list border. Calculated columns are a type of block property that extends the functionality of formulas throughout an entire column of an associated group of cells or list.

Abstract: Block properties and improved calculated columns properties are provided in a spreadsheet application. Once block properties are set for a group of spreadsheet cells or a spreadsheet list, the properties may be applied to the entire group of selected cells or list as opposed to requiring application of properties to individual cells. If rows or columns are added to the group of selected cells or list, properties applied to the group of cells or list are automatically applied to the new rows or columns. Block properties also provide for intelligent-behaving list borders where list borders are not corrupted by the movement or changing of columns or rows sharing edges with a list border. Calculated columns are a type of block property that extends the functionality of formulas throughout an entire column of an associated group of cells or list.

Abstract: Block properties and improved calculated columns properties are provided in a spreadsheet application. Once block properties are set for a group of spreadsheet cells or a spreadsheet list, the properties may be applied to the entire group of selected cells or list as opposed to requiring application of properties to individual cells. If rows or columns are added to the group of selected cells or list, properties applied to the group of cells or list are automatically applied to the new rows or columns. Block properties also provide for intelligent-behaving list borders where list borders are not corrupted by the movement or changing of columns or rows sharing edges with a list border. Calculated columns are a type of block property that extends the functionality of formulas throughout an entire column of an associated group of cells or list.

Abstract: The present invention provides several database formulas that can manipulate large sets of data. Each database formula is customizable and repeatable without user intervention. Thus, users may enter numerous options that can cover the user's desire for data output in certain forms or formats, select a set of input data, and consistently receive a set of output data. In some embodiments, the user may refer to the set of data semantically instead of specifying a range of cells to use in the database formula. Referring to the data semantically allows the database formulas to adjust to changes in the range of cells new data may occupy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new type of structured name within a spreadsheet program that allows users to refer to tables, columns of data within tables, headers of tables, totals from tables, PivotTables®, and portions of PivotTable® data by the data's headers. Embodiments of the present invention comprise a method for referring to a set of data that comprises receiving one or more semantic designations, wherein the one or more semantic designations name a set of context information that describes one or more items of data in a data structure, automatically creating a structural reference, and associating the context information with the structural reference.

Abstract: Manipulating an object that is dependent upon one or more cells in a spreadsheet is facilitated by manipulating indicators that bound the relevant cells. The object can be a spreadsheet cell formula that contains a reference to one or more cells. The object can also be a graph object that is dependent upon one or more cells. In response to the selection of one of the objects, an indicator is displayed proximate to the cell or cells that the object is dependent upon. If the selected object is dependent upon multiple ranges of cells, then multiple indicators are displayed. Each indicator is displayed proximate to a cell or range of cells for the purpose of highlighting or identifying that the object is dependent upon that cell or range of cells. The highlighting or identifying is acceptably achieved with on-screen indicators that are color-coded. Each indicator can border a cell or a range of cells that the object is dependent upon.