You have a spreadsheet open in one tab and ChatGPT open in another. You copy a product name, paste it into the chat, ask for a description, wait for the response, copy it back, paste it into your sheet, and move on to the next row. Thirty rows in, you start wondering if there is a better way.
There is. AI formulas in Google Sheets let you skip the copy-paste loop entirely. Instead of bouncing between tabs, you type a formula into a cell -- just like =SUM or =VLOOKUP -- and the AI returns a result directly where you need it. One formula, one cell, one result. Drag it down a column and you have hundreds of results in seconds.
This guide covers every SheetMagic formula, shows you how to write prompts that produce clean and consistent output, and walks through real workflows you can paste into your sheet and use today.
Key Takeaways
- AI formulas work like any other spreadsheet formula. Type them into a cell, get a result. No coding, no external tools, no API setup on the free tier.
- SheetMagic provides formulas for AI generation, web scraping, and page data extraction.
=AITEXT()for text,=SERP()for search results,=PAGEDATA()for website data,=AIIMAGE()for images, and more. - Cell references make formulas dynamic. Point your prompt at other cells to process entire columns of data without rewriting anything.
- Seven AI providers are supported. OpenAI (GPT-5, GPT-4o), Claude (Opus, Sonnet, Haiku), Gemini (2.5 Pro/Flash), Mistral, OpenRouter (100+ models), Straico (60+ models), and Perplexity. Switch between them under Extensions > SheetMagic > Settings without changing your formulas.
- The free tier gives you 5,000 AI tokens and 50 integration credits per month to test everything before committing.
What are AI formulas?
An AI formula is a spreadsheet function that sends a prompt to a large language model and returns the response in your cell. If you have used =GOOGLEFINANCE() to pull stock prices or =IMAGE() to load a picture, you already understand the concept: the formula reaches out to an external source, gets data, and displays it in your sheet.
The difference is that AI formulas reach out to language models like GPT-5, Claude, or Gemini. That means they can generate text, summarize content, translate languages, classify data, extract information, create images, generate audio, and handle tasks that would normally require manual effort or a separate tool.
Every SheetMagic formula, explained
=AITEXT() -- The Swiss Army Knife
=AITEXT("Your prompt here")Send any text prompt to the selected AI model and get the response directly in the cell.
=AITEXT("Your prompt here", A2)Include a cell reference as context. The AI sees both your instruction and the data in A2.
=AITEXT() is the formula you will use 80% of the time. The first argument is your prompt -- what you want the AI to do. The optional second argument is a cell reference that provides context: a product name, a paragraph to summarize, raw data to analyze.
Think of it as having a writing assistant embedded in every cell. You describe what you want, optionally point it at some data, and it delivers.
Advanced pattern -- multi-cell context:
=AITEXT("Write a personalized email subject line for "&A2&" who works at "&B2&" in the "&C2&" industry.")Concatenates data from multiple cells into the prompt using the & operator.
You can also enable real-time web search by passing TRUE as the third argument: =AITEXT("your prompt", A2, TRUE). This lets the AI search the internet before generating a response. Web search is supported with OpenAI, Claude, and Perplexity models.
=AILIST() and =AILISTH() -- Structured List Output
=AILIST("List 8 blog post ideas about email marketing for SaaS companies")Returns 8 results vertically, one per cell, spreading downward from the formula cell.
=AILISTH("List the 5 largest countries by population")Returns results horizontally across columns in a single row.
Use =AILIST() when you want each item in its own cell for filtering, sorting, or further processing. Use =AILISTH() when you want results laid out in a row.
=AIIMAGE() -- Generate Images
=AIIMAGE("A flat-design icon of a rocket ship, blue and white color scheme, transparent background")Generates an image using DALL-E 3 and displays it in the cell.
Combine with =AITEXT() for automated visual content:
=AIIMAGE(AITEXT("Describe a product photo concept for: "&A2&". Be specific about background, lighting, and composition. Keep it under 50 words."))AI writes the image prompt, then AIIMAGE generates the visual. Fully automated product imagery.
=GPTV() -- Analyze Images
=GPTV(A2, "What product is shown in this image? Return: product name, color, and estimated category.")A2 contains an image URL. The AI analyzes the image and returns structured text.
This is invaluable for e-commerce (categorizing product photos), real estate (describing property images), and content moderation.
=AISPEECH() -- Text to Audio
=AISPEECH(A2, "nova")Converts the text in A2 to spoken audio using the Nova voice. Returns a playable audio link.
Eleven voice options are available. Use this to create voiceovers for presentations, audio versions of written content, or pronunciation guides.
=AIVIDEO() -- Text to Video
=AIVIDEO("A 10-second product demo showing a coffee mug being filled with steaming coffee, cinematic lighting")Generates a short video from a text description.
=SERP() -- Live Search Results
=SERP("best project management software 2026")Returns up to 20 search engine results with titles, URLs, snippets, and ranking positions.
Returns structured search data directly into your cells. Essential for SEO research, competitive analysis, and content planning. For detailed SEO workflows using =SERP(), read the SEO guide.
=BULKSERP() -- Horizontal SERP Layout
=BULKSERP(A2)Same data as =SERP() but laid out horizontally. One row per keyword, results across columns.
=VISIT() -- Full Page Content
=VISIT("https://example.com")Retrieves up to 50,000 characters of text content from the URL. Supports JavaScript-rendered pages.
Use this when you need the full text of a page -- for summarization, analysis, or extraction. Combine with =AITEXT() to process the content. For quick metadata (title, description, H1), use =PAGEDATA() instead.
=PAGEDATA() -- Bulk Page Metadata
=PAGEDATA(A2)Returns structured metadata for the URL in A2: URL, Title, Description, H1, and HTTP Status.
=PAGEDATA() accepts one or more URLs and returns a table of metadata for each page. It is the fastest way to pull title tags, meta descriptions, and H1 headings in bulk.
=PAGEDATA(A2, A3, A4, A5)Pass multiple URLs to get metadata for all of them at once. Returns one row per URL with Title, Description, H1, and Status columns.
For targeted data extraction (like pulling specific fields from a page), use =VISIT(A2) to get the page content, then =AITEXT("Extract the company name, founding year, and city. Format as: Name | Year | City", B2) to process it. Use =SPLIT() to break pipe-separated results into columns.
=GETSELECTOR() -- CSS Selector Scraping
=GETSELECTOR(A2, "h1.product-title")Extracts content matching a CSS selector from the page at A2. For developers who know exactly what element they need.
Page Metadata Formulas
Purpose-built formulas for extracting SEO data from any URL:
| Formula | Returns |
|---|---|
=GETMETATITLE(A2) | The title tag |
=GETMETADESCRIPTION(A2) | The meta description |
=GETH1(A2) | The H1 heading |
=GETH2(A2) | All H2 headings |
=GETHEADINGS(A2) | All headings (H1-H6) |
=GETP(A2) | Paragraph text content |
=GETIMG(A2) | Image URLs from the page |
=DOMAINCHECK(A2) | Whether the domain is available |
For complete scraping workflows, see the web scraping guide.
7 Real Examples You Can Use Today
Every example below uses real SheetMagic syntax you can paste directly into your sheet. Each one replaces a manual process.
1. Generate product descriptions from a name and specs
The scenario: Column A has product names, column B has specs. You need a compelling description for each.
=AITEXT("Write a 2-sentence product description for an e-commerce listing. Be specific and highlight the main benefit.", A2&" — "&B2)Concatenates the product name and specs with a separator. The AI receives both as context.
What each part does:
- The first argument is your prompt -- it defines the output format (2 sentences), context (e-commerce), and focus (main benefit).
- The second argument concatenates A2 and B2 with
&" — "&. If A2 is "Titanium Travel Mug" and B2 is "16oz, double-walled, keeps drinks hot 8 hours," the AI receives "Titanium Travel Mug -- 16oz, double-walled, keeps drinks hot 8 hours" as context.
Expected output in C2:
The Titanium Travel Mug keeps your coffee at the perfect temperature for up to 8 hours, thanks to its double-walled insulation built into a rugged 16oz frame. Whether you are commuting or camping, this is the last travel mug you will need to buy.
2. Extract company information from URLs
The scenario: Column A has company URLs. You need their description, headquarters, and founding year without visiting each site.
First, scrape the page content. Then use AI to extract exactly what you need:
=VISIT(A2)Pulls the full page content from the URL in A2. Put this in column B.
=AITEXT("Extract the company description, headquarters city, and founding year. Format as: Description | HQ | Founded", B2)Processes the page content from B2 and returns pipe-separated structured data in column C.
Expected output in C2:
Stripe is a financial infrastructure platform for businesses, providing payment processing, revenue management, and financial tools for internet companies. | San Francisco, CA | 2010
Follow up with =SPLIT(C2, "|") in columns D, E, and F to break the result into three separate cells.
3. Write SEO meta descriptions at scale
The scenario: Column A has page titles, column B has target keywords. You need a meta description for each.
=AITEXT("Write a meta description under 155 characters. Include the keyword naturally. End with a clear benefit or call to action. Keyword: "&B2, A2)The keyword from B2 is injected into the prompt. The page title in A2 is passed as context.
Expected output (for a page titled "Free Invoice Template for Small Businesses" with keyword "free invoice template"):
Download a free invoice template designed for small businesses. Professional, customizable, and ready to send in minutes.
For a complete SEO workflow including competitor analysis and rank tracking, see 5 ways to use AI for SEO.
4. Translate content across 50 rows
The scenario: Column A has English text. You need Spanish translations for a localized landing page.
=AITEXT("Translate to Spanish. Return only the translation, no commentary or notes.", A2)The constraint 'no commentary or notes' prevents the AI from adding explanatory text around the translation.
Expected output (if A2 is "This app saved me hours every week. Highly recommend it."):
Esta aplicacion me ahorro horas cada semana. La recomiendo mucho.
5. Classify and analyze customer reviews
The scenario: Column A has customer reviews. You need sentiment, topic, and a summary for each.
=AITEXT("Analyze this review. Return exactly three fields separated by pipes: Sentiment (Positive/Neutral/Negative) | Main Topic | One-sentence summary. Return nothing else.", A2)Structured pipe-separated output for easy splitting with =SPLIT().
Expected output:
Positive | Customer Support | The reviewer praised the fast response time and helpful guidance from the support team.
Use =SPLIT(B2, "|") to separate into columns, then =COUNTIF(C:C, "*Positive*") to tally sentiment across your entire dataset.
6. Research competitors using SERP and PAGEDATA together
The scenario: You want to know who ranks for your target keywords and what their pages look like.
Pull SERP data for your keyword
=SERP("best accounting software for freelancers") in B2. This returns up to 20 results with titles and URLs.
Extract competitor page titles and descriptions
Once you have URLs from the SERP data, put them in column C and run:
=GETMETATITLE(C2) and =GETMETADESCRIPTION(C2) for quick metadata.
Or use =AITEXT("What is this page about? Summarize the main value proposition in one sentence.", VISIT(C2)) for a deeper summary.
Identify gaps with AI
Combine competitor summaries into a single analysis:
=AITEXT("Based on these competitor pages, identify 3 topics none of them cover well that would be valuable to the target audience: "&D2&" | "&D3&" | "&D4&" | "&D5, "")
7. Extract structured data from unstructured text
The scenario: You have unstructured text and need it broken into structured fields.
=AITEXT("Extract all people mentioned with their job title and company. Format each person as: Name | Title | Company. One person per line.", A2)Returns pipe-separated structured data from unstructured text. Use =SPLIT() afterward to break it into columns.
This is especially useful for processing meeting notes, press releases, or any text that contains structured information buried in paragraphs. Use =SPLIT(B2, "|") in adjacent columns to separate the fields into clean cells.
How to Install SheetMagic
Getting started takes about two minutes.
Open Google Sheets
Go to sheets.google.com and open any spreadsheet, or create a new one.
Open the Add-ons menu
Click Extensions in the top menu bar, then Add-ons, then Get add-ons. This opens the Google Workspace Marketplace.
Search for SheetMagic
In the Marketplace search bar, type SheetMagic and press Enter.
Install the add-on
Click on SheetMagic in the search results, then click the Install button. Google will ask you to choose your Google account and grant the necessary permissions. SheetMagic needs access to your spreadsheet data (to read cell contents and write results) and external network access (to communicate with AI providers).
Grant permissions
Review the permissions and click Allow. These permissions are standard for any add-on that processes your spreadsheet data.
Start using AI formulas
Return to your spreadsheet. Type =AITEXT("Say hello") into any cell and press Enter. If you see a greeting appear in the cell, you are all set.
No API keys required for the free tier. No developer console. You install it, and the AI functions are immediately available in every spreadsheet on your account.
For full details on plans, token limits, and integration credits, visit the pricing page.
Tips for Writing Effective AI Prompts in Spreadsheet Cells
The quality of your formula output depends on the quality of your prompt. Here are the patterns that consistently produce the best results.
Be specific about the output format
Vague prompts produce vague results. Compare:
| Weak prompt | Strong prompt |
|---|---|
"Describe this product" | "Write a 2-sentence product description for an e-commerce listing. Highlight the primary benefit." |
"Summarize this" | "Summarize in 2-3 sentences. Focus on the main finding and one actionable recommendation." |
"Translate this" | "Translate to French. Return only the translation, no commentary." |
The strong versions specify length, format, context, and focus. The AI has clear constraints and delivers predictable, usable output.
Use cell references for dynamic prompts
Hardcoding data into your prompt defeats the purpose of working in a spreadsheet. Always reference cells:
=AITEXT("Classify the sentiment of this review as Positive, Neutral, or Negative. Return only the label.", A2)A2 can contain any review text. Drag the formula down and every row is analyzed independently.
Concatenate multiple cells to build richer context:
=AITEXT("Write a personalized email opener for "&A2&" at "&B2&" in the "&C2&" industry. Reference their recent product launch.", "")Pulls data from three cells to generate a tailored outreach message.
Add constraints to prevent verbose output
Without constraints, AI models tend to write too much. In a spreadsheet, you want clean, structured data. Add instructions like:
- "Return only the answer, no explanation."
- "Respond in 15 words or fewer."
- "Format as a comma-separated list."
- "Do not include any introductory text."
These constraints dramatically improve consistency, especially across hundreds of rows.
Test with one cell before dragging
Review the output. If the format, length, or content is off, adjust your prompt. Once you are satisfied, drag it down the column.
Choose the right model for the task
Different models excel at different things. You switch models under Extensions > SheetMagic > Settings -- your formulas stay the same.
- GPT-5 / GPT-4o -- Strong at creative writing, nuanced instructions, and image generation.
- Claude (Opus, Sonnet) -- Excels at analytical tasks, following complex formatting rules, and long-form content.
- Gemini 2.5 Pro -- Fast, handles large context windows and multilingual tasks well.
- Mistral -- Cost-efficient, strong with European languages.
- Perplexity -- Best for research tasks where you need fact-based, cited answers.
Experiment with different providers for your specific use case. Visit the features page for the full list of models.
Understanding tokens and credits
SheetMagic uses two currencies:
AI tokens power all AI formulas (=AITEXT(), =AILIST(), =AIIMAGE(), etc.). Tokens are the units AI models use to measure input and output length. Longer prompts and longer responses use more tokens. A typical product description might use 200-400 tokens.
Integration credits power all web scraping formulas (=SERP(), =VISIT(), =PAGEDATA(), etc.). Each scraping operation uses credits. The exact cost depends on the operation.
These two quotas are tracked separately in your plan. You can see your remaining balance under Extensions > SheetMagic in the sidebar, or in the SheetMagic dashboard.
| Plan | AI tokens/month | Integration credits/month | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | 5,000 | 50 | Free |
| Solo | 3,000,000 | 1,000 | $19/mo |
| Team | 15,000,000 | 5,000 | $79/mo |
| Business | 80,000,000 | 20,000 | $149/mo |
See full details on the pricing page.
What Will You Build First?
You now know every SheetMagic formula, you have seven ready-to-use examples, and you know how to write prompts that produce clean output. The question is which task you will automate first.
Product descriptions for your catalog. Meta descriptions for your website. Translations for a new market. Lead research from company websites. Survey analysis from free-text responses. Competitive intelligence from search results. Every one of these used to be hours of manual work. Now each one is a formula.
The free tier gives you 5,000 AI tokens and 50 integration credits per month -- enough to test every example in this guide and start building your own workflows. No credit card required.
Install SheetMagic free from the Google Workspace Marketplace and type your first =AITEXT() formula in the next two minutes.
For more guides: Getting started with SheetMagic | SEO workflows | Web scraping guide | March 2026 product update
Have questions? Check the documentation or visit the FAQ.