Cell links vs Index/Match

Lawrence Lagalle · 02/13/24

I understand they basically provide the same functionality but I was wondering if using cell links (Datamesh) vs Index/Match had the greater cross sheet reference performance effect when loading a sheet

Paul Newcome · 02/13/24

INDEX/MATCH provides much more flexibility and allows for the use of a column formula to quickly generate links instead of having to create them one at a time.

Lawrence Lagalle · 02/13/24

I use Datamesh to create the cell links via automation so that is not an issue. I am wondering about the performance impact when a sheet opens. Since they are both cross sheet references is a cell link creating the same performance impact as an Index/Match. In my head they do the same thing referencing one cell via an index so it should be the same.

Paul Newcome · 02/13/24

Cell links would be the least amount of drag on performance.

Lawrence Lagalle · 02/13/24

Thank you Paul,

We are working on some documentation due to an error we had last week. Do you know of a reference/link that I could use to back that up (for the boss)

Paul Newcome · 02/13/24

I don't have any kind of documentation, but a cell link is a direct link to a single cell whereas an INDEX/MATCH creates a cross sheet reference that references at least two different columns just to pull the data in for a single column.

Lawrence Lagalle · 02/14/24

Which makes perfect sense to me. also cell link stores nothing on the sheet Index stores the formula. I have some folks that work with me who aren't fond of cell links :(

PSExcellence · 11/04/24

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/419741#Comment_419741

I personally am not fond of cell links, because they will intermittently fail for no reason and Smartsheet can't ever seem to tell me why (or prevent it from randomly happening). Example- we use Control Center to provision projects using a Template, and to link the project metadata to a Rollup Sheet. The templates contain cell links between their respective project sheets as well.

Sometimes when a project is provisioned, the cell links refuse to update with the source info. Even though if you double-click to open up the source it's linking from you can see the correct info right there, the cell itself with the link does not display the updated info from the source it's linking from. The only thing Support ever tells me is to "delete all the links and recreate them manually". Which works…but is not scaleable for a company our size with thousands of projects.

Cell links vs Index/Match

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