Google Sheets – Make Files Static Data or Export to Cloud Databases

google sheets

When making a master sheet that sums some values across hundreds of Google Sheets with the functions importrange, or query data across hundreds of Google Sheets' IDs, it takes longer time to load…

Is there a way to have a buffer like database in Google that is continuously updating the master sheet so whenever I open it the data has already been updated instead of waiting to execute the functions? In other basic words, as if the master sheet file is continuously open in my desktop. So whenever I need to look at it, it is already open and the importrange function has finished doing the job. That will make the dynamic data calculation & synchronization much faster specially if you need to look for multiple filtered values and data.
Probably working with cloud database and keeping the sheets that have importrange data and calculations in the database will solve the issue.

Note:
I found sites to work as linking a trigger of Google Sheet with another application but don't really solve my issues like https://integromat.com/ or https://zapier.com. I found similar question where something called SQL works as a cloud database for Google but I'm very primitive to it so far.

Best Answer

I made the master sheet that makes the calculation as a separate sheet. And I made a new sheet that just importrange the results of the calculation instead. so it run faster in this way.

Related Solutions

Google-sheets – Insert column across multiple sheets

You could always create the column in one sheet, and copy-paste it to the other sheets, one sheet at the time. But I guess that's what you're trying to avoid.

It is possible to do this with a Google Apps Script. The following script adds a menu in a spreadsheet, which allows you to insert or remove a column on all sheets.

function addColumnOnAllSheets() {
  var spreadsheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
  var colIdxStr = Browser.inputBox("Insert column right of column no");
  if (colIdxStr == 'cancel') {
    return;
  }
  var colIdx = parseInt(colIdxStr);
  if (colIdx == NaN) {
    Browser.msgBox("You must enter a number or 'cancel'");
    return;
  }
  var sheets = spreadsheet.getSheets();
  for (var i = 0; i < sheets.length; i++) {
    var sheet = sheets[i];
    sheet.insertColumnAfter(colIdx);
  }
}

function removeColumnOnAllSheets() {
  var spreadsheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
  var colIdxStr = Browser.inputBox("Remove column no");
  if (colIdxStr == 'cancel') {
    return;
  }
  var colIdx = parseInt(colIdxStr);
  if (colIdx == NaN) {
    Browser.msgBox("You must enter a number or 'cancel'");
    return;
  }
  var sheets = spreadsheet.getSheets();
  for (var i = 0; i < sheets.length; i++) {
    var sheet = sheets[i];
    sheet.deleteColumn(colIdx);
  }
}

function onOpen() {
  var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
  var entries = [
    {name: "Add column on all sheets", functionName: "addColumnOnAllSheets"}, 
    {name: 'Remove column on all sheets', functionName: 'removeColumnOnAllSheets'}
  ];
  sheet.addMenu("Columns", entries);
}

To install this script in your own spreadsheet, click Tools -> Script editor, and paste the code into the script editor. Save the script, and reload the spreadsheet in order to show the menu.

I have set up an example spreadsheet to demonstrate the script.

Google-sheets – Multiple views of master spreadsheet that allow editing of master data

Overview

The OP basically wants to be able to use the spreadsheet functions over the original data without having to scroll across a large number of rows and columns. His background make him think about having custom views and a easy way to change from one to another but Google Sheets doesn't have a built in feature to manage custom views.

Fortunately the fourth requirements are doable by using built-in features and Google Apps Script

Rows could be hidden by using filters but columns only could be hidden manually or by using code.

For 1, and 2 use Google Apps Script to create custom menus that apply the hide/show columns and optionally rows over the "master sheet". This will allow the user to edit the data directly over the "master sheet" and sort it.

Code example

The following code creates a menu for handling the hide/show operations of columns specified in a global variable.

var cols = [1,5,7]; //columns to be hidden/shown

function onOpen() {
  var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
  var menuEntries = [ 
    {name: "Hide", functionName: "hideCols"},
    {name: "Show", functionName: "showCols"}
    ];
  ss.addMenu("Custom Views", menuEntries);
}

function hideCols() {
  var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet();
  cols.forEach( function(col) {
      sheet.hideColumns(col);
    }
  )
}

function showCols() {
  var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet();
  cols.forEach( function(col) {
      sheet.showColumns(col);
    }
  )
}