StartDeck
Tables

Quick Start Guide to StartDeck Tables Sidebar

The StartDeck Tables sidebar contains a lot of functionality, but most of the time it is used for just two things: navigation and managing sheet merge fields. 

Navigation Basics

Simply open the sidebar (Extensions > StartDeck > Tables). The default view is Navigation. Click on a sheet name, then a table name to navigate to a table. 

Sheet Fields

At the bottom of the Navigation panel is a green button labeled Push Sheet Fields to Doc — this action will push sheet merge fields to a linked doc. 

Sheet merge fields are different from linked tables.

 

Refresh Sheet Fields

When a sheet is duplicated, run Refresh Sheet Fields — this utility adds the new sheet fields to the list of merge fields. (Utilities > Refresh Sheet Fields).

Thats it! The above to functions cover most of the day to day actions for the StartDeck Tables sidebar. 

The text that follows drills down on detail of the Table sidebar. 

How to Use the StartDeck Tables Sidebar

The Table sidebar serves multiple important functions: navigation, sheet field management (s_fields) and database operations. Moreover, it offers utilities for table actions, such as generating PDFs, and formatting options to hide extra rows and columns. Spreadsheet developers will appreciate the handy 'Error Wrapper' utility which will catch formula errors (such #DIV/0!) and replace them with a double dash '--' which makes for a clean UI when formulas have incomplete inputs. 

How to Open the Sidebar

To get started, open your StartDeck Tables Extensions from the Google Sheets main menu. If you don't see StartDeck under the Extensions menu, get it here.

StartDeck Tables has several functions:

  1. Table Navigation
  2. Table Actions
    1. Show/hide table rows/columns
    2. Select table
    3. Create PDF of table
    4. Table navigation fine-tuning
  3. Sheet field (s_field) merge
  4. Utilities
    1. Refresh s_fields Sheet
    2. Refresh Sheet List
    3. Refresh Table Settings
    4. Formula error wrapping
    5. Find Sheet Fields

StartDeck Tables Navigation

The navigation UI is the default view and displays all the unhidden sheets in the workbook. Clicking the sheet name will display all the tables on the sheet. Each table name is displayed with a sheet icon on the left, and a "hamburger" icon on the right.  Clicking the table name will navigate to the table. Clicking the "hamburger" icon will 1. navigate to the table and 2. open up the Table Actions menu for the table.

Tables and navigation

 

Additional Table Navigation Info

  1. By default only sheets with named tables are shown in the Navigation panel. A named table is a group of two or more contiguous cells that have a range name. When "Show all sheets" is selected all sheets are shown in the sidebar, including sheets that have no tables.
  2. Hidden tables # have range names that start with an underscore. For example "_USCities". Hidden tables are typically used as containers for various data resources or perhaps side calculations. The ability to hide tables from the Navigation panel helps reduce clutter and simplify the user experience.
  3. Table name. Clicking the table name will navigate to the table.
  4. Table menu. Click the table menu will
    1. Navigate to the table
    2. Open the Table Actions panel.

Table Actions Panel

Table actions include functions that apply to all tables, and navigation settings for fine tuning navigation for the specific table.

  1. The Previous control navigates to the previous table on the active sheet. Tables are sorted by row, then column.
  2. The Next control navigates to the next table on the active sheet. When Previous or Next is used to navigate to a given table, that table becomes the active table, ready for table actions.
  3. The active table name is shown at the top of the Table Action UI.
  4. The show/hide button will toggle show/hide for rows and columns in the active table, explained further below.
  5. The Select Table button will select (highlight) the active table.
  6. The Create PFD button will render a PDF for the active table for download.
  7. Navigation Settings sets the number of row and columns to display above or to the left of the active table on the navigation action. This allows room for table instructions and table inputs that are outside of the table range.  By default the navigation action will display one row above and one column to the left of the table.

Utilities

Database Setup

See Comparable and Appraisal Database Setup.

 

Add a New Data Sheet

See New Data Sheet

 

Refresh s_fields Sheet

Managing Sheet Fields (s_fields) 

The StartDeck Table Sidebar has two important functions for the management of s_fields.

  1. Refresh s_fields sheet. StartDeck Tables > Utilities > Refresh s_fields sheet. This will update the s_fields sheet when new s-fields have been added, including when sheets have duplicated. All s_fields shown on the s_fields sheet are available as merge fields in the linked document.
  2. Push sheet fields to doc. StartDeck Tables > Navigation > Push Sheet Fields toDoc (at the bottom of the sidebar). This pushes s_fields to the linked doc. Use this when the values of s_field values have changed.

For more information on sheet fields, see this knowledge base article: https://www.startdeck.com/knowledge-base/forms-fields#sheet-fields

Find a Sheet Field by Name

To find the location of a sheet field in a workbook, follow these steps:

  1. In the workbook, navigate to the s_fields sheet, which is usually at the far right of the worksheet tabs.
  2. The s_fields sheet will have the sheet names organized by worksheet in Column B, the s_field names in Column C, and the s_field values in Column D. Utilize the workbook's find function to search for a specific s_field name.
  3. To find out where the s_field is used, look in Column D next to the s_field name and click on the cell to view the formula; this will show you the s_field cell address.
  4. A quick method to get to the s_field directly is to copy the cell address from the formula you found in Column D and paste it into the range name box, then press Enter. The range name box is located on the left side of the formula bar, which is right above the row numbers on the workbook. If the formula bar is not displayed go to View > Show > Formula bar.

This process uses a central s_fields sheet in the workbook to organize and locate individual s_field data and their positions within different worksheets, facilitating the management and utilization of these data fields within the document.

Find a Sheet Field by Doc Link

This utility can be found at StartDeck Tables > Utilities > Find Sheet Field

  1. In Google Docs, right click on the green merge field and copy the link.
  2. In Google Sheets, go to StartDeck Utilities and click on Find Sheet Field, paste the link to the form and click OK.

Error Wrapper

This utility can be found at StartDeck Tables > Utilities > Error Wrapper

First things first! Make sure the error is not a formula error, but an error caused by missing inputs, a common case for spreadsheet templates that require user data.

Spreadsheet developers well understand the sloppy look of a well designed spreadsheet that while waiting for user input, appears to be full of formula errors. End users also find this disconcerting. In these cases, the 'Error Wrapper' makes for a better presentation by replacing error messages #DIV/0! with a double dash '--'. The utility does this by wrapping the cell formula with a formula that checks for errors. When the wrapped formula contains an error, a double dash '--' is displayed. It looks like this: 

Without Error Wrapper

With Error Wrapper

Error wrapping can be undone with the Remove Error Wrapper: StartDeck Tables > Utilities > Error Wrapper. This is helpful for debugging formulas.

Error wrapping/unwrapping can be applied to one or more contiguous cells. 

Copy & Link Tables #

Templates and projects do not contain linked tables by default, rather unlinked placeholder tables are displayed. Placeholder tables are replaced with linked tables as part of the work flow. Most tables have a copy function available from the Actions menu: Select this option and press Control-C (Command-C on Mac) to copy the table. Switch to the document tab, place the cursor at the desired document location and paste as a link. If your template does not have an Actions menu, simply select and copy the table.

  1. To copy a table select copy table from the Actions menu
  2. Press Control-C or Command-c (mac) to copy
  3. Note: Dropdown lists formatted as "chips" will display as normal text in the document.
  1. In the document, paste the tables as a link.

Update Linked Tables

To update a linked table click the icon in the upper-right corner. Notice that dropdown lists formatted as "chips" in the spreadsheet display as plain text when the linked table is displayed in the document. 

To update all tables at once, from the main menu: Tools > Linked objects > Update all

How to Format Tables with Show/Hide

In technical reporting, maintaining consistent presentation while adapting to data scope is crucial. Tables with show/hide functionality offer a solution by allowing authors to customize data visibility according to each report's specific needs. This approach not only enhances the efficiency of report preparation but also ensures that each report is tailored and focused.

Show/Hide Rows/Columns

Below is a table template showing the default table view. Notice there are hidden rows/columns

Example table - rows and columns hidden

How to Format Tables with Show/Hide Rows/Columns

Click the Table Actions menu to "load" the table. 

  1. The active table name is displayed at the top of the Table Actions menu.
  2. Show/hide rows and columns for the active table is the first action listed. Click this to toggle the display to show all rows and columns for the table. 
  3. Check the boxes for rows/column you want to show. Leave the boxes blank for rows/columns you intend to hide.
  4. Simply select the toggle view action to reformat the table.
Format tables with show/hide

 

Expanded table with all rows and columns visible

 

Formatted table with rows and columns hidden

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