The Lido glossary

Definitions of every term used across the Lido KB. When two terms refer to the same thing in different surfaces, both definitions point at each other.

Action

A formula that does something instead of just calculating a value. Examples: SENDGMAIL sends an email, EXTRACTFROMFILETOROW runs AI extraction, CREATEPDF creates a PDF from a template. Actions can be triggered manually from a button, run on a schedule, or chained inside a workflow. See: Actions: how spreadsheet automation works.

API key

A secret token that authenticates requests to the Lido API. Generated at sheets.lido.app/settings/api-keys. Treat it like a password — never embed it in client-side code.

Computed column

A column in a table whose values are calculated from a formula that runs once per row. Lido applies the formula to every row automatically. See: Tables: how columns work.

Credential

Stored authentication info for an external service — Gmail, Outlook, Slack, OpenAI, Anthropic, Twilio, AWS, Google. Add credentials in your workspace settings; reference them by ID in formulas and workflow nodes. Lido never exposes credential secrets after they're stored.

Data Extractor

The Lido feature that uses AI to pull structured data from documents. Available as: a UI panel in the spreadsheet (the easiest entry point), a workflow node (for automation), and an API endpoint (for programmatic access). All three share the same underlying engine. See: Extract data from PDFs and documents.

Error output

Every workflow node has an error output. When an item causes an error, an error item flows out the error output instead of the success output, with the error message attached. Connect the error output to handle failures (e.g., send a Slack message, write to an error log). See: Error handling and retries.

Expression

The {{...}} syntax used inside workflow node parameters to reference data from upstream items. Example: {{$item.data.fieldName}}. Expressions support JavaScript methods, date arithmetic with $today() and $now(), and references to other nodes' outputs with $("Node Name"). See: Expressions and the formula bar.

Extractor worksheet

A worksheet in your spreadsheet that holds an extraction configuration — the column list, instructions, page range, and multi-row setting. Used by the Data Extractor in the spreadsheet, the Data Extractor node in workflows, and the Lido API. The configuration is canonical: change it in the worksheet and everything pointed at it updates.

Hugo

The Crisp AI agent that answers questions in Lido's chat widget. Hugo retrieves answers from this KB and from Q&A snippets, governed by the Hugo Instructions. If Hugo can't answer or the user asks for a human, Hugo hands off to the team.

Integration

A connection between Lido and an external service — Google Drive, OneDrive, Outlook, Gmail, Slack, Twilio, etc. Set up in workspace settings. Each integration produces a credential that workflow nodes and formulas reference.

Item (workflow item)

A single unit of data flowing through a workflow. Most nodes process items one at a time. An item is a JSON object whose fields are accessible via {{$item.data.fieldName}} expressions. A trigger emits one or more items; downstream nodes transform, filter, or route them.

Lido Mailbox

A Lido-hosted email address you can forward documents to. Triggers a workflow when an email arrives. Useful when you don't want to connect Outlook or Gmail but you do want emails to start workflows. See: Lido Mailbox (Wave 2 article).

Linked column

A column in a table whose values are stored independently per row, keyed by a unique ID column. Useful when you want some computed columns and some manual columns side by side. See: Tables: how columns work.

Multi-row extraction

A Data Extractor setting that produces one extracted row per item in the source document — useful for invoices with many line items, statements with many transactions, etc. Off by default; turn it on only when the document genuinely contains a table you want each row from.

Node

A single step in a workflow. Each node has Parameters (what it does) and Settings (how it executes). Nodes are organized into Triggers, Data Operations, Transformations, Flow Control, External Services, File Operations, and Templates & Forms. See: Nodes reference (overview).

OCR

Optical Character Recognition — converting an image of text into actual text. Lido's OCR PDF node and OCRMYPDF formula add a searchable text layer to scanned PDFs. Always OCR a scanned PDF before extraction for higher accuracy.

Page (in pricing)

One page of a processed document. A 5-page PDF run through extraction counts as 5 pages. Pages are counted toward your monthly plan allowance only when extraction succeeds.

Plain column

A column in a table for manual data entry. No formula. See: Tables: how columns work.

Q&A snippet

A short, pre-approved answer to a recurring factual question, configured in Crisp. Hugo treats snippets as authoritative quick answers (informative-only). Use snippets for 1–4-sentence answers and articles for everything longer.

Source column

A column in a table whose values come from an external data source — a CRM, database, API, or file. The values refresh automatically. See: Tables: how columns work.

Spreadsheet

The Lido interface that looks and behaves like a familiar grid, extended with Tables, Actions, AI formulas, and Lido-specific concepts (named cells, local-only cells, custom lambdas). The design surface for most Lido work.

Table

A named, structured dataset inside a spreadsheet. Tables have a name, columns with specific roles (computed, linked, plain, or source), and rows that can come from external sources or be entered manually. Reference tables in formulas with TableName[@ColumnName] (current row), TableName[ColumnName] (whole column), or TableName[#All] (entire table). See: Tables: how columns work.

Trigger

The first node in a workflow — what causes the workflow to start. Options: Manual, Scheduled, Google Drive Trigger, OneDrive Trigger, Lido Mailbox Trigger, Outlook Trigger, Webhook Trigger. See: Triggers: how workflows start.

Workflow

A visual pipeline that runs when triggered, processing data through a chain of nodes until it reaches its destination(s). Built in the workflow builder. See: Build your first workflow.

Workspace

Your team's container for spreadsheets, workflows, integrations, and users. A workspace has its own billing, page allowance, integrations, and member list. Most companies have one workspace per team or per business unit.

Related articles

• What is Lido?
• Concepts: spreadsheet vs. workflow vs. API
• Tables: how columns work
• Actions: how spreadsheet automation works
• Nodes reference (overview)
• Expressions and the formula bar

Updated on: 16/04/2026