The workaround described by this user is a perfect example of what's broken about traditional spreadsheets. They needed a simple page reference, but the tool forced them into a hidden column, a separate row function, and a manual formula mash-up just to get the job done. That isn't a solution; it's a tax on their time and attention. The fact that they "figured it out" is admirable, but it shouldn't have required figuring out at all. The logic they wanted was straightforward: group 39 rows and assign a page number. The tool simply couldn't express that logic in a single, readable cell.
This is the reality for millions of users every day. You learn to hide complexity because the software can't handle it openly. You create scaffolding columns that clutter your sheet, then hide them so the output looks clean. You memorize arcane nesting rules for functions that fight each other in the same cell. None of this makes you more productive. It makes you a translator between your intent and the machine's limitations. The real innovation isn't in finding a better workaround; it's in removing the need for workarounds entirely. That is what an AI-native approach delivers.
In practical terms, this means you stop spending energy on *how* to make the spreadsheet work and start spending it on *what* you want the spreadsheet to tell you. Imagine describing the page logic in plain language: "For every 39 rows, increment the page number." An AI-native spreadsheet understands that request directly. It resolves the conflict between the rounding function and the row function without you needing to know why they conflicted in the first place. The hidden column disappears. The logic stays visible, editable, and human-readable. Your workflow improves because the tool adapts to your thinking, not the other way around.
The user's post ends with a practical goal: a sheet that figures the page reference automatically when data is entered. That goal is achievable today, but only by layering complexity onto complexity. The better path is a tool where the logic is the formula, and the formula is the logic, no hidden columns required. Stop celebrating the workaround. Start demanding a tool that understands what you're trying to do, so you can spend your time on the report itself, not on the gymnastics required to build it.