Methods and systems for inputting data into spreadsheet documents
View Patent ↗Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention enable a user to input data into a document having cells arranged in columns and rows. A first of the cells and a second of the cells each have an original content. The original content of the first cell is overridden with a first user inputted value. The cells are recalculated based on the first user inputted value. After recalculating the cells based on the first user inputted value, the original content of the second cell is overridden with a second user inputted value. The cells are recalculated based on the second user inputted value. The original content of the first cell is automatically restored based on a user input such that the second user inputted value is maintained in the second cell.
1. A method in a data processing system comprising a document with cells arranged in rows and columns, each cell comprising a formula and a last result, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving a plurality of values for a plurality of the cells; and
storing the values in the last result of the plurality of the cells such that the values are used during recalculation instead of the formulas and such that each of the formulas for the plurality of the cells can be restored independently of other of the plurality of cells.
2. A computer-readable medium containing instructions that cause a data processing system to perform a method in a data processing system comprising a document with cells arranged in rows and columns, each cell comprising a formula and a last result, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving a plurality of values for a plurality of the cells; and
storing the values in the last result of the plurality of the cells such that the values are used during recalculation instead of the formulas and such that each of the formulas for the plurality of the cells can be restored independently of other of the plurality of cells.
3. A computer-readable memory device encoded with a data structure with entries, each entry reflecting a cell in a spreadsheet that is recalculated by a spreadsheet program which is encoded in the memory device and which is run by a processor, each cell comprising:
a first storage area that stores a formula; and
a second storage area that stores a numerical value that temporarily overrides the formula so that the numerical value is used instead of the formula during recalculation.