Using Formulas and Computed Columns

Can I use Excel formulas in Lido?

Yes. Lido works like Excel and Google Sheets — you can use all the same formulas including SUM, VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP, SUMIF, COUNTIF, IF, and more. Formulas work directly in your Lido spreadsheet just as they would in a traditional spreadsheet.

What are computed columns?

Computed columns are formula-based columns that automatically apply calculations to every row of extracted data. Instead of dragging a formula down manually, computed columns extend automatically to all rows as new data is extracted.

How to create a computed column

1. Double-click anywhere on your sheet to create (or select) a table
2. Add a new column and enter your formula
3. The formula automatically applies to every row in the table — current and future

When you extract new data later, your computed columns will auto-fill for all new rows without any extra work.

Common formula use cases in Lido

Adding up totals

Use SUM, SUMIF, or AVERAGE on your extracted data just like in Excel:

=SUM(E2:E100)
=SUMIF(B:B, "Invoice", E:E)

Looking up values across sheets

Use VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP to cross-reference data between sheets. For example, after extracting invoice data to one sheet and purchase order data to another, use VLOOKUP in a computed column to match invoice amounts against PO amounts:

=VLOOKUP(A2, 'PO Data'!A:D, 4, FALSE)

This works the same way as Excel — your lookup formulas automatically apply to all rows through computed columns.

Conditional logic

Use IF formulas to create conditional calculations. For example, to categorize expenses:

=IF(B2="group", "92508", IF(B2="individual", "92507", "unknown"))

You can nest multiple IF statements or use IFS for more complex conditions.

Conditional formatting and highlighting

Lido supports conditional formatting rules to visually highlight data. For example, highlight duplicate values in a column:

=COUNTIF(A:A, A2) > 1

Apply this as a conditional formatting rule to highlight any values that appear more than once. Note: if you rename a sheet, you'll need to update your conditional formatting rules to reference the new sheet name.

Can the AI Assistant help me write formulas?

Yes. Lido's AI Assistant is trained on all of Lido's directives and functions. You can describe what you need in plain language — like "I need a formula that adds up all amounts where the category is Office Supplies" — and the AI will generate the appropriate formula or computed column for you. This is especially helpful if you're not sure which formula to use or haven't worked with a particular function recently.

How do I move or reorder computed columns?

You can drag and reorder computed columns within your table. The formulas will continue to work correctly after reordering. If you need to reference a column that you've moved, just update the cell reference in your formula.

Do formulas use extraction credits?

No. Formulas and computed columns are spreadsheet operations — they don't consume extraction credits or page counts. Only the initial document extraction uses credits.

Updated on: 03/04/2026