Start with a new document and a small CSV. Check imported types and source totals before adding formulas or building a repeated report.
In this guide
Choose a workspace and a practice file
Use your own hosted workspace or a self-hosted setup you maintain. Account, plan, and hosting choices are separate from this guide. The official documentation explains creating documents and importing files.
Import and check before calculating
- Create a document by importing the CSV. Inspect the preview and choose the intended table/columns.
- Check that 14 dates arrived once each. Confirm that amounts and counts have suitable types; leave missing ad spend blank.
- Use the column/formula helper to insert the correct gross-sales and refund columns for a net-sales calculation.
- Group or filter the two complete practice periods and reconcile totals with the reference report.
Add and check the NetSales formula
Confirm the actual column IDs gross_sales_usd and refunds_usd, then add a numeric formula column. If Grist assigns different IDs, use its column helper to insert them. Inspect blank handling and numeric types first.
| Period | Gross / refunds | Net |
|---|---|---|
| Previous seven days | 1600 / 50 | 1550 |
| Current seven days | 2000 / 100 | 1900 |
$gross_sales_usd - $refunds_usd
Resolve type and identity problems first
If totals are wrong, check number parsing, currency formatting, missing rows, and duplicate dates before changing the explanation. Keep identifiers as text when leading zeros matter.
For later imports, decide whether you are adding new rows or updating existing ones. Review the match key and preview carefully; an incorrect key can join different records.
Retain sources and unanswered questions
Keep source file/date, metric definitions, and review status with the working document. A connected table helps organize information; it does not validate a supplier term or attribute an order to a traffic source.
References
Use it in a task
AI Weekly Reports for Small Business Owners: Check, Explain, Review
Continue the task
Use the table structure to preserve identity, field meaning, and the evidence behind a conclusion.