How to use AI in ONLYOFFICE spreadsheets: a quick guide

The release of ONLYOFFICE Docs 9.0 marks an important milestone, introducing some powerful AI features in spreadsheets together with other new tools and improvements. In this guide, you will learn how to use the new AI capabilities in ONLYOFFICE Spreadsheet Editor and find out what else artificial intelligence can do for you in sheets.

AI in ONLYOFFICE Docs 9.0: what’s new

The key AI update brought by version 9.0 to ONLYOFFICE Spreadsheet Editor is the AI function which allows you to apply correct formulas and run complex data analysis. Now you don’t have to choose a suitable formula for your calculations as artificial intelligence can come up with the right option in seconds based on your description.

Other AI-related enhancements in ONLYOFFICE Docs 9.0 include:

• Creation of macros based on prompts;
• Conversion of VBA macros with a few clicks;
• OCR for PDF pages;
• Centralized configuration of the AI plugin for all users in the self-hosted Docs version.

Read our blog to learn more about the version 9.0 release or watch our YouTube webinar:

Now that you know what artificial intelligence offers in the latest version of the suite, let’s find out how it works and what you need to get started.

How to configure the AI plugin in ONLYOFFICE

In ONLYOFFICE, the AI integration works via a special plugin that allows you to connect various AI assistants developed by popular providers — ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Claude Sonnet, Mistral, Groq, DeepSeek, GPT4All, Ollama, Stability AI and more.

Let’s install and configure the AI plugin in ONLYOFFICE Spreadsheet Editor following the steps below.

Step 1. Install the AI plugin

The plugin is available for free in the ONLYOFFICE plugin marketplace and can be installed in the ONLYOFFICE editors via the Plugin Manager that you can find on the Plugins tab. When you access the Plugin Manager, you will instantly see the AI plugin. Click the Install button and close the manager.

Step 2. Enable the AI plugin

After installation, you need to activate the AI plugin by switching its slider in the Background plugins section located next to the Plugin Manager. If done correctly, you will see a new tab on the top toolbar — AI.

Step 3. Add your favourite AI assistant

Now access the AI tab and click Settings. You will see the AI configuration menu designed to add and select AI models for different tasks.

Since you have no AI assistants to choose from, you need to add one. Click Edit AI models to access the corresponding menu. Here you can add and delete your models at any time.

Hit the + button and choose your provider from the drop-down list in the Name field. In our case, it’s OpenAI but you can choose any other option you like.

When you select a provider, the URL parameter is established automatically. The only thing you need to do manually is to enter a valid API key in the corresponding field that you can get on the official website of the selected provider.

Please note that some providers might charge you for using their API keys in third-party applications so you need to get antiquated with their policies and terms of use first before using their AI models in ONLYOFFICE.

After entering your AP key, you need to choose a model from the Model drop-down list. If you see nothing, click Update models list. Select the option you like but don’t forget that different models have their strengths and weaknesses. Some are good at text generation while others shine when you need to create an image or recognize text in a PDF file. You can find more information about the models’ functionality on the provider’s website.

If you wish, you can rename the added model in the Model name field. At the same time, it’s not recommended to change the model’s capability settings — enable or disable the icon buttons in the Use this model for section. To finish, click OK.

Step 4. Assign AI tasks

Now you are in the AI models list menu again, and your model is available there. Click Back to access the AI configuration window. In this window, you can choose the tasks your model will deal with. If you have several models, you can assign specific tasks to them. For example, one model can be used for text analysis, and another one can handle OCR tasks.

When you finish the AI configuration process, click OK. Congratulations! Now the AI plugin is properly configured and ready for work. You can access its features on the AI tab or via the context menu with a right-click.

Let’s explore the AI functionality in ONLYOFFICE Spreadsheet Editor.

Ask the AI to run calculations for you

With the AI improvements in version 9.0, processing complex data is now a tea party. The newly added AI formula allows you to calculate what you need based on a simple text description. This helps you to save time and effort as you don’t have to enter formulas manually — the AI assistant will do the job for you!

The AI formula has the following syntax:

=AI(“”)

Your text description should be in quotation marks. For real-life examples of how to use the AI formula in ONLYOFFICE sheets, watch this video:

Create new ONLYOFFICE macros

Another new feature in version 9.0 is the ability to generate new macros for your routine tasks. To create a new macro, go to the View tab and click Macros. In the new window, find the AI icon, click it and choose the Create from description option. Type your prompt describing the functionality of your new macro and click Create. The AI assistant will generate the code of your macro.

Convert VBA macros with ease

The latest version of the ONLYOFFICE suite also allows you to quickly convert VBA macros. Just access the Macros menu via the View tab and click the AI button. Enter the code of your VBA macro and click Create. The AI assistant will do the job, allowing you to run the converted macro in the ONLYOFFICE editor.

Interact with the AI assistant

Apart from the new features brought to you by version 9.0, there are some other AI tools that come in handy sometimes. One of them is direct interaction with the AI chatbot. You can communicate with the AI and ask questions or find the required information. You can also chat with your smart assistant to entertain yourself if you feel tired and want to relax for a while.

To open the chat window, click the Chatbot icon on the AI tab or access this option via the context menu.

Summarize your text

In ONLYOFFICE spreadsheets, there is an option which allows you to summarize large pieces of text into summaries which briefly explain what the selected text means. You just need to select the desired text and activate the Summarization option on the AI tab. The result will be shown in a separate window.

This feature is useful when your spreadsheet contains a lot of text information.

Translate into English and vice versa

Another AI tool available in ONLYOFFICE spreadsheets refers to translation. Using it, you can quickly translate something into English or another language supported by your AI assistant. Just select a word or phrase, and use the Translation option on the AI tab. The AI will insert the translated text into your spreadsheet.

The Translation option has settings where you can choose the desired language. It’s also available via the context menu.

Turn text description into images

Last but not least, the AI plugin can generate images based on text descriptions. This feature works only with AI models which support image generation. For example, you can use models provided by Stability AI.

If you need a unique image for your report or want to illustrate your data with visuals, you can select the text description of what you want to see and click Image -> Text to Image. The generated image will be inserted in your sheet.

Get ONLYOFFICE and use its AI features in your spreadsheets

Use the power of artificial intelligence to run complex calculations and generate content* with the AI plugin in your spreadsheets online by creating a free ONLYOFFICE DocSpace account or offline by downloading the free desktop application for your PC or laptop with Windows, Linux or macOS:

START ONLINE          GET DESKTOP APP

*Please note that the ONLYOFFICE team is not responsible for the accuracy or reliability of the information and content provided by third-party AI models and assistants.