This is a genuinely useful request, and it exposes a real limitation in how most people use spreadsheets today. The user wants to know how many times "red apple" appears across every sheet in a workbook, and how many distinct stores carry it. That is not a trivial formula in Excel or Google Sheets. It requires a combination of functions like `COUNTIF` across multiple sheets, or a `SUMPRODUCT` with indirect references, or a manual script. And that is the problem: something that feels simple to ask for should not require a workaround or a forum post to solve.
What this user is describing is a task that traditional spreadsheets treat as advanced. But it should be basic. When you have a workbook with one sheet per store, the data is already structured. You just need the tool to understand that "across every sheet" is a natural query, not a formula puzzle. This is where AI-native spreadsheets can step in and change the experience. Instead of wrestling with nested functions, you should be able to type something like "count how many times 'red apple' appears in all sheets" and get the answer, along with a breakdown by store. The technology exists to make that happen, and it makes the user's intent, not the tool's limitations, the center of the interaction.
The practical takeaway here is that the frustration this user feels is not a sign of their skill level. It is a sign that the tools they are using have not evolved to match how people actually think about their data. A master list that pulls word counts across sheets is not a niche request. It is a common business need, whether you are tracking inventory, monitoring keywords, or auditing product mentions. The solution should not require a Reddit thread. It should be a simple, built-in capability that feels as natural as searching a document. When spreadsheets start understanding language the way users do, tasks like this stop being obstacles and start being moments of clarity. That is the future worth exploring.