Troubleshooting — Nixt Sheets docs

Most commands that can’t do what you asked say why in the status bar at the bottom of the window. Read it first. This page covers the problems people meet most often, then lists the general messages. Messages that belong to one feature are explained on that feature’s page.

Typing and values

A cell shows

The number is too wide for its column. Widen the column — double-click the right edge of its letter heading — or choose a shorter number format.

A total ignores some numbers

The cells probably hold numbers stored as text — imported data often does. Click Formulas › Auditing › Errors; the Number stored as text rule finds them, and Fix converts each one. For imported data, add a Change type step to the query. See Auditing formulas.

Leading zeros disappeared

A number starting with a zero and another digit, such as 0123, stays text when you type it. A value that became a number elsewhere — from a formula, a paste or a split — loses its zeros. Type an apostrophe first ('0123), or use a number format such as 00000.

I can’t type into a cell

Check the status bar:

Message	Cause	What to do
Sheet is protected, and cell is locked.	Sheet protection	Unprotect the sheet in Review › Protect. See Protecting sheets and workbooks.
That value spills from cell. Edit the formula there, or clear it first.	The cell is part of a dynamic array result	Edit the formula in the cell named. See Writing formulas.
A validation message, such as Pick one of: … or This cell takes a whole number.	A data validation rule	Type a value the rule allows, or change the rule. See Data tools.

Formulas

A formula shows an error

See the table of error values in Writing formulas, and trace the error back with Trace precedents and Evaluate — see Auditing formulas.

Results don’t update when I change a cell

The workbook is probably in manual calculation: Calculate appears in the status bar. Click it, or choose Automatic in Formulas › Calculation.

Rows and data

Rows have disappeared

Rows can be hidden in several ways. Look for the cause:

Cause	How to tell	How to show the rows
A column filter	The filter button in Data › Sort & filter is highlighted	Data › Sort & filter › Clear
Advanced Filter in place	You ran Advanced…	Run Advanced… again with no criteria range
A slicer or timeline	A slicer or timeline panel shows a selection	Click the slicer’s filter icon, or the timeline’s ×
A folded outline	A + box in the outline gutter	Click the +, or Data › Outline › Show detail
Rows hidden by hand	Row numbers skip, with none of the above	Select across the gap and choose Home › Cells › Format › Unhide

See Sorting and filtering.

A filter or PivotTable shows old results

Filters and PivotTables don’t update on their own. Click Reapply in Data › Sort & filter, or refresh the PivotTable with Insert › Tables › PivotTable › Refresh.

Split put text over my other columns

Data › Data tools › Split writes the pieces into the columns to the right. Press ⌘Z to undo, insert empty columns, and split again.

Sheets

Sheet commands are refused

If the status bar says the workbook’s structure is protected, click Review › Protect › Workbook to allow adding, renaming, moving and deleting sheets again.

Files, saving and printing

Save is greyed out and there is a lock by the file name

The file is read-only — for example on a read-only drive, or without write permission. Use Save a copy as to save it somewhere else.

Printing from the PDF viewer

Print opens a PDF of the workbook in your PDF viewer; print from there. If nothing opens, the status bar says why — set a default PDF viewer, or export with Save a copy as › PDF.

General messages

Message	What it means	What to do
Saved to path / Saved name	The workbook or copy was saved	—
Could not save: reason	The file couldn’t be written	Check the folder exists and is writable, or use Save a copy as elsewhere
Cannot open name (dialog)	The file isn’t one Nixt Sheets can read	See Getting started
That file is no longer where it was.	A recent file was moved, renamed or deleted	Open it from its new location
Opened in your PDF viewer — print from there.	Print worked	Print from the PDF viewer
Could not open the print copy: reason	No PDF viewer opened the file	Set a default PDF viewer, or export to PDF
Could not print: reason	The print copy couldn’t be written	Try again, or export to PDF
A workbook needs at least one sheet.	You tried to delete the only sheet	Add a sheet first
This workbook’s structure is protected, so you cannot action. Unprotect it on the Review tab first.	Workbook structure protection	Review › Protect › Workbook
Nothing copied.	Paste Special with nothing copied	Copy some cells first
”…” is not a cell reference.	The name box or a dialog field needs an address	Type an address such as `B4`
”…” is not a cell, a range or a name.	Go to couldn’t find what you typed	Check the address or name
No cell contains ”…”. / Nothing to replace.	Find or Replace found no matches	Check the spelling; search is on the current sheet only
Select at least two columns to merge across.	Merge across needs width	Select a wider block
Select the cells to fill.	Fill › Up or Left needs several cells	Select the cells to fill
Nothing above this cell to SUM. (or another function)	AutoSum found no numbers above	Click the cell under a column of numbers
Select the block to flip first.	Flip needs several cells	Select the block
Select a pivot table first.	Field list… needs a PivotTable	Click inside a PivotTable
There is nothing to refresh — no queries and no pivot tables.	Refresh all had nothing to do	—
There are no filters on this sheet to reapply.	Reapply had nothing to do	—
Nothing here is inside a group.	Hide detail or Show detail outside an outline	Select cells inside a group
This sheet has no notes. / There are no comments in this workbook.	Next/Previous found nothing	—
Put the cursor where the split should go first — the panes divide above and to the left of it.	Split from A1	Click another cell first
Select two or more objects to line them up. Shift-click to add to the selection.	Align or Group needs several objects	`Shift`-click to add objects
Select one object to rotate.	Rotate needs exactly one object	Select one object

Feature pages list their own messages: Entering and editing data, Tables, slicers and timelines, Sorting and filtering, Data tools, Importing data with queries, Charts and sparklines, PivotTables, What-if analysis, Outlines and grouping and Printing and exporting.