The spreadsheet community has spoken, through posts like the one from u/finickyone, and the message is clear: the function library still has room to grow, and users are ready to help shape that growth. We agree. The observation that there is no native function to simply return the area of a range, like `=AREA(A1:F10)` yielding 60, is a small but telling gap. It reveals a deeper truth: even as tools become more powerful, the basics deserve the same attention as the breakthroughs.
This matters because the gap between what users need and what they can express in a single formula creates friction. Workarounds like `ROWS*COLUMNS` or `SUM(1^LEN)` are clever, but they are not intuitive. They force users to think like programmers when they should be thinking about their data. The same applies to referencing a sheet by its index number. A workbook with seven sheets should let you point to sheet number two directly, not force you to navigate through indirect references. These are not revolutionary requests. They are practical, human-centered improvements that would reduce cognitive load and speed up real work.
The post also raises a broader question: now that LAMBDA allows users to create their own functions, what should the community nominate for native inclusion? This is a powerful shift. LAMBDA has turned users into contributors, and that feedback loop is exactly how a modern tool evolves. The request for GET.CELL to return is a reminder that some old capabilities still matter. The challenge for developers is not to chase hype, but to listen to the patterns in these requests. When multiple users independently ask for the same capability, that is a signal worth acting on.
Our take is straightforward: the future of spreadsheet functions will be shaped by the people who use them daily. The post from u/finickyone is not a complaint, it is an invitation. We encourage every reader to share what functions they find missing or frustrating. Send your ideas, nominate your LAMBDA creations, and push for the native functions that make your work simpler. The tools we build tomorrow should reflect the problems we solve today. That starts with a single formula for the area of a range.