[GH-ISSUE #8077] [FR] Add advanced spreadsheet mode (Excel/Google Sheets-like) to the Database plugin #3535

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opened 2026-03-23 21:31:05 +00:00 by mirror · 0 comments

mirror commented

2026-03-23 21:31:05 +00:00

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Originally created by @glufy100 on GitHub (Jun 21, 2025).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/AppFlowy-IO/AppFlowy/issues/8077

Description

Add an "advanced spreadsheet mode" to the Database plugin in AppFlowy, providing a user experience similar to Excel or Google Sheets, including:

Support for formulas (sum, average, dynamic references between cells, etc.)
Reactive cells (automatic update if a referenced cell changes)
Ability to merge cells
Advanced copy/paste support (including between AppFlowy and other apps)
Handling of large datasets without performance issues
Ability to generate simple charts from spreadsheet data
Formula editor interface (visual editor or classic syntax)

Implementation Ideas

Investigate integrating an existing Flutter spreadsheet library (e.g., syncfusion_flutter_datagrid or flutter_spreadsheet_table)
Adapt data models to handle formulas and inter-cell references
Create a formula evaluation engine (parser and calculator)
Update the table widget to support advanced features (merge, copy/paste, etc.)
Add tests to ensure stability and performance
Provide a simple migration path from current tables to the new format if needed

Benefits

Enable much more advanced data management directly in AppFlowy
Offer an open source alternative to proprietary spreadsheet integrations in productivity tools

Potential Resources

https://pub.dev/packages/syncfusion_flutter_datagrid
https://pub.dev/packages/flutter_spreadsheet_table
Inspiration for formula structure: https://github.com/dart-lang/expression

Impact

Users needing more powerful tables/spreadsheets (PMs, analysts, students, etc.)
Teams looking for an open source solution to manage and calculate data in AppFlowy

Additional Context

Feel free to expand or adjust this proposal based on community feedback!

Originally created by @glufy100 on GitHub (Jun 21, 2025). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/AppFlowy-IO/AppFlowy/issues/8077 Description --- Add an "advanced spreadsheet mode" to the Database plugin in AppFlowy, providing a user experience similar to Excel or Google Sheets, including: - Support for formulas (sum, average, dynamic references between cells, etc.) - Reactive cells (automatic update if a referenced cell changes) - Ability to merge cells - Advanced copy/paste support (including between AppFlowy and other apps) - Handling of large datasets without performance issues - Ability to generate simple charts from spreadsheet data - Formula editor interface (visual editor or classic syntax) Implementation Ideas --- - Investigate integrating an existing Flutter spreadsheet library (e.g., syncfusion_flutter_datagrid or flutter_spreadsheet_table) - Adapt data models to handle formulas and inter-cell references - Create a formula evaluation engine (parser and calculator) - Update the table widget to support advanced features (merge, copy/paste, etc.) - Add tests to ensure stability and performance - Provide a simple migration path from current tables to the new format if needed Benefits --- - Enable much more advanced data management directly in AppFlowy - Offer an open source alternative to proprietary spreadsheet integrations in productivity tools Potential Resources --- - https://pub.dev/packages/syncfusion_flutter_datagrid - https://pub.dev/packages/flutter_spreadsheet_table - Inspiration for formula structure: https://github.com/dart-lang/expression Impact --- - Users needing more powerful tables/spreadsheets (PMs, analysts, students, etc.) - Teams looking for an open source solution to manage and calculate data in AppFlowy Additional Context --- Feel free to expand or adjust this proposal based on community feedback!