concepts

the vocabulary behind formulas, references and recalculation — what each term means, and what it implies when an agent is editing the sheet.

conceptin one line
absolute and relative references why a reference changes when you copy a formula, and how $ stops it.
A1 notation how cells, ranges and worksheets are addressed in a formula.
structural edits what happens to formulas when rows or columns are inserted, deleted or moved.
array formulas formulas that operate on many values at once and return many results.
spill range the block of cells a multi-value formula writes its results into.
circular references a formula that depends, directly or indirectly, on its own result.
volatile functions functions that recalculate on every change, whatever their inputs did.
recalculation how a change to one cell propagates through everything that depends on it.