Sheets feature comparison
Compare Sheets features, support, and compatibility with Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets.
14 categories, 83 features; Univer supports 64, partially supports 3, and does not support 16.
Integration guide · All features
Comparison scope
Compares Microsoft 365 Excel for Windows desktop with web-based Google Sheets. Univer includes the complete Office SDK and optional modules. Only non-AI capabilities of each product itself are included; external/business data sources, separate external products, and add-ons are excluded. JavaScript, VBA, and Apps Script provide automation, but Univer and Google Sheets do not import/export VBA code and projects. Plan, platform, and integration requirements are stated per feature.
“Open source” marks full support in the open-source edition. Unmarked items may include basic subsets, optional modules, or commercial licensing; consult the corresponding module documentation.
83 of 83 items
Worksheets, rows, and columns
| Feature and scope | Univer SheetsComplete Office SDK · optional modules | Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft 365 · Windows desktop | Google SheetsWeb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple worksheets, duplication, and ordering | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Insert, delete, and move rows and columns | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Row heights, column widths, and autofit | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Merge and unmerge cells | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Freeze and hide rows and columns | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Row and column grouping and outlines | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
Editing and cell formatting
| Feature and scope | Univer SheetsComplete Office SDK · optional modules | Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft 365 · Windows desktop | Google SheetsWeb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copy, paste, and paste special | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Autofill number, date, and formula series | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Find, replace, and locate cells by content | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Fonts, colors, and in-cell rich text | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Alignment, wrapping, fills, and borders | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Number, currency, date, and custom formats | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Rotated and vertical text | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Floating and in-cell images | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Shapes, text boxes, arrows, and connectors | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported | ✓ SupportedCreate and edit in the built-in Sheets drawing editor, then insert as a drawing object. |
Conditional formatting
| Feature and scope | Univer SheetsComplete Office SDK · optional modules | Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft 365 · Windows desktop | Google SheetsWeb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conditional formats based on values, text, or formulas | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Color scales, data bars, and icon sets | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ◐ PartialSingle-color rules and color scales are supported; no native Excel-style data bars or icon-set rules. |
| Conditional-format priority and Stop If True | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported | ◐ PartialApplies the first matching rule in list order; does not expose every Excel Stop If True option. |
Sorting and filtering
| Feature and scope | Univer SheetsComplete Office SDK · optional modules | Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft 365 · Windows desktop | Google SheetsWeb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-column and multi-column sorting | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| AutoFilter by values and conditions | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Filter by font or cell fill color | ✓ Supported Open sourceFilters matching rows by fill or font color. Filtering changes row visibility without changing row order. | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Independent filter views | — Not supportedStandard AutoFilter is available; independent views that leave other collaborators' sorting and filtering unchanged are not supported. | ✓ SupportedSheet Views require supported storage such as OneDrive or SharePoint. | ✓ Supported |
| Sort by font or cell fill color | — Not supportedBuilt-in color sorting is unavailable. Filtering by these colors is supported. | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
Validation and data cleanup
| Feature and scope | Univer SheetsComplete Office SDK · optional modules | Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft 365 · Windows desktop | Google SheetsWeb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dropdowns, custom formulas, and input validation | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Checkboxes and custom checked values | ✓ Supported Open source | ◐ PartialNative cell checkboxes use TRUE/FALSE. Custom checked values need formulas or other controls. | ✓ Supported |
| Remove duplicate rows | — Not supportedNo built-in Remove Duplicates operation. | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Split text into columns by delimiter | — Not supportedNo built-in Text to Columns operation. | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Trim excess whitespace | ✓ SupportedTRIM removes leading, trailing, and repeated spaces. Some Unicode whitespace requires additional handling. | ✓ SupportedTRIM formulas remove leading, trailing, and repeated spaces. | ✓ SupportedUse Trim whitespace or TRIM; the whitespace characters handled differ by method. |
Tables and structured references
| Feature and scope | Univer SheetsComplete Office SDK · optional modules | Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft 365 · Windows desktop | Google SheetsWeb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Table headers, styles, and filters | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Structured references by table, column, and current row | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ◐ PartialTable and column references are supported, but not #This Row. Chart, pivot, and conditional-format ranges have reference limitations. |
Formulas, functions, and calculation
| Feature and scope | Univer SheetsComplete Office SDK · optional modules | Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft 365 · Windows desktop | Google SheetsWeb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggregation with SUM, AVERAGE, and COUNT | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Conditions, text, and dates with IF, TEXT, and DATE | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Lookups with VLOOKUP, INDEX, MATCH, and XLOOKUP | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Array calculations with FILTER, SORT, and UNIQUE | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| SQL-like QUERY filtering, sorting, and aggregation | — Not supportedThe QUERY function and SQL-like query strings are not supported. | — Not supportedNo native QUERY string function. Combine FILTER, SORT, GROUPBY, and other formulas for some queries and aggregations. | ✓ SupportedQUERY uses Google Visualization Query Language, including SELECT, WHERE, GROUP BY, PIVOT, and ORDER BY. It is a SQL-like subset, not a standalone SQL() function. |
| LET, LAMBDA, MAP, REDUCE, and SCAN | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Defined names and cross-worksheet references | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Dynamic-array spilling and obstruction checks | ✓ Supported Open sourceArray results spill automatically with #SPILL! obstruction checks. Validate complex array formulas against representative files. | ✓ Supported | ✓ SupportedArray functions and ARRAYFORMULA expand into adjacent cells; syntax and errors differ from Excel. |
| Excel A1# spill-range operator | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported | ◐ PartialARRAYFORMULA expands array results; Excel A1# spill-range references are unsupported. |
| SEQUENCE and RANDARRAY | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Legacy Ctrl+Shift+Enter array formulas | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported | ◐ PartialCtrl+Shift+Enter adds ARRAYFORMULA. Fixed-range calculation and export differ from Excel CSE formulas. |
| Financial functions including PMT, NPV, and IRR | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Engineering units and complex numbers | ✓ Supported Open sourceEngineering functions, unit conversion, and complex-number calculations are supported. | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Create, reuse, and import named functions | ✓ Supported | ✓ SupportedSave LAMBDA in Name Manager. Migration between workbooks differs from Google. | ✓ Supported |
| Iterative calculation and convergence for circular references | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Dependency tracing, formula evaluation, and watch windows | ◐ PartialFacade APIs provide reference/dependency tracing and expression parsing. No ready-made step-by-step evaluation panel or Watch Window. | ✓ Supported | ◐ PartialReference highlighting and F9 result previews are available; no complete Excel-style dependency tracing, step-by-step evaluation panel, or watch window. |
| Calculate and refresh external Excel workbook links | ◐ PartialSaved external-reference cache values can supply results. External Excel workbooks are not automatically loaded or refreshed. | ✓ Supported | ◐ PartialIMPORTRANGE reads authorized Sheets ranges; it cannot execute Excel external-workbook links directly. |
| Custom formula functions (UDFs) | ✓ SupportedRegister functions through JavaScript/TypeScript and formula extension APIs. VBA, COM, and XLL functions are not compatible. | ✓ SupportedDefine functions with VBA UDFs or LAMBDA. | ✓ SupportedApps Script registers custom functions; not every interactive service is callable. |
Pivot tables
| Feature and scope | Univer SheetsComplete Office SDK · optional modules | Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft 365 · Windows desktop | Google SheetsWeb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pivot row/column fields, filters, and aggregation | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Pivot date grouping, sorting, and drill-down | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Pivot percentages, running totals, and rankings | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported | ◐ PartialTotals and row/column percentages are supported; not every Excel running-total, difference, or ranking combination is available. |
| Slicers for pivot tables and charts | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Pivot date timeline controls | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported | — Not supportedStandard slicers and date-condition filters are supported; no Excel-style pivot timeline control. |
| Pivot calculated fields and calculated items | — Not supportedCalculated fields and calculated items are not supported. | ✓ Supported | ◐ PartialCalculated fields are supported; calculated-item rules and formulas do not fully match Excel. |
Charts
| Feature and scope | Univer SheetsComplete Office SDK · optional modules | Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft 365 · Windows desktop | Google SheetsWeb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Editable column, line, pie, and other charts | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| PivotCharts with pivot-field management | ✓ SupportedPivotCharts share the pivot-table model, including field configuration and linked filtering. | ✓ Supported | ◐ PartialPlot pivot results as regular charts and filter with slicers; no separate PivotChart field-management UI. |
| Dedicated chart worksheets | — Not supportedCharts are embedded objects on ordinary worksheets; dedicated chart-sheet tabs are not supported. | ✓ SupportedMove charts to dedicated chart sheets. | ✓ SupportedDedicated chart sheets are supported, separately from charts embedded in a cell grid. |
| Histograms and box plots | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Line, column, and win/loss sparklines | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported | ✓ SupportedCreate with the SPARKLINE function. |
| Trendlines, error bars, and secondary axes | ◐ PartialTrendlines and secondary axes are supported; error bars are not. | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
What-if analysis and goal seeking
| Feature and scope | Univer SheetsComplete Office SDK · optional modules | Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft 365 · Windows desktop | Google SheetsWeb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in single-variable Goal Seek | — Not supportedNo built-in single-variable Goal Seek. | ✓ Supported | — Not supportedNo built-in goal seeking; install the separate Goal Seek add-on. |
| One/two-variable data tables and Scenario Manager | — Not supportedNo built-in one/two-variable what-if data tables or Scenario Manager. | ✓ Supported | — Not supportedNo built-in what-if data tables or scenario manager. Use add-ons, formulas, or scripts. |
Collaboration and history
| Feature and scope | Univer SheetsComplete Office SDK · optional modules | Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft 365 · Windows desktop | Google SheetsWeb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Co-editing and shared selections | ✓ SupportedRequires Univer collaboration services and application identity and permissions. | ✓ SupportedRequires a supported version, Microsoft 365 sign-in, and supported storage such as OneDrive or SharePoint Online. | ✓ Supported |
| Comments, replies, and resolved discussions | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Cell notes and static annotations | ✓ Supported Open source | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| View and restore historical versions | ✓ SupportedRequires the Server SDK history module. Collaboration history from the original platform is not recovered from XLSX. | ✓ SupportedVersion history depends on storage services such as OneDrive or SharePoint. | ✓ Supported |
| Offline editing and reconnection sync | ✓ SupportedRequires preloaded documents, enabled offline caching, and collaboration services. Changes synchronize after reconnection. | ✓ SupportedLocal or cached files can be edited offline; shared files synchronize when reconnected. | ✓ SupportedEnable offline access in advance and meet browser and account requirements. |
| Cell edit authors and historical values | ✓ SupportedRequires history and collaboration modules. Traceability depends on the recorded operation types. | ✓ SupportedUses Show Changes, subject to supported operations and storage requirements. | ✓ SupportedCell edit history and full-file version history cover different operations. |
Permissions and file security
| Feature and scope | Univer SheetsComplete Office SDK · optional modules | Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft 365 · Windows desktop | Google SheetsWeb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protect workbook structure | ✓ SupportedPermissions restrict adding, deleting, moving, renaming, and hiding worksheets. Validate Excel password-protection compatibility separately. | ✓ Supported | — Not supportedFile sharing and sheet/range editing protection are available; no separate Excel-style workbook-structure lock. |
| Protect worksheet editing | ✓ Supported Open sourcePermissions restrict worksheet editing operations. Validate Excel password-protection compatibility separately. | ✓ Supported | ✓ SupportedRestrict sheet editing by user and define exception ranges; requires native Google Sheets format. |
| Protect cells and ranges | ✓ Supported Open sourceRange permissions restrict edits to selected cells or ranges. Validate Excel password-protection compatibility separately. | ✓ SupportedLock cells and enable worksheet protection, leaving permitted input regions editable. | ✓ SupportedAssign editable users through protected ranges; requires native Google Sheets format. |
| File encryption, password opening, and encrypted saving | — Not supportedOffice file password decryption, password opening, and encrypted saving are not supported. | ✓ Supported | — Not supportedNo Office password decryption, password-based opening, or encrypted saving. Sharing permissions and sheet protection control access and editing. |
File import and export
| Feature and scope | Univer SheetsComplete Office SDK · optional modules | Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft 365 · Windows desktop | Google SheetsWeb |
|---|---|---|---|
| XLSX import and export | ✓ SupportedRequires file conversion. Complex charts, external links, and special objects have format-specific compatibility limits. | ✓ Supported | ✓ SupportedXLSX conversion and export are supported; not every Excel feature can be edited or executed in Sheets. |
| Import legacy XLS workbooks | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Export legacy XLS through the standard exporter | — Not supportedXLSX, CSV, and TSV export are supported; legacy XLS export is not. | ✓ Supported | — Not supportedXLSX export is supported; legacy XLS export is not. |
| CSV and TSV value import and export | ✓ SupportedCSV/TSV retain text and values, not multiple worksheets, styles, charts, or formula-calculation behavior. | ✓ SupportedText formats retain the active sheet and relevant values, not full workbook functionality. | ✓ SupportedCSV/TSV export operates on one sheet and does not retain full workbook functionality. |
| VBA macro/project import and export compatibility | — Not supportedVBA code and projects are not imported/exported compatibly or automatically converted to JavaScript. | ✓ SupportedMacro-enabled formats such as XLSM preserve VBA code and projects; XLSX does not. | — Not supportedConversion/export do not preserve original VBA code and projects. Apps Script does not round-trip as VBA in Excel files. |
| XLSB binary workbook read/write | — Not supportedXLSB import and export are not supported. | ✓ Supported | — Not supportedNo XLSB import/export; convert to a supported format such as XLSX first. |
| OpenDocument ODS import and export | — Not supportedODS import and export are not supported. | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| PDF output, including print to PDF | ✓ SupportedRequires the print module and the browser's Save as PDF function. No standalone server-side PDF conversion API. | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
Macros and scripting
| Feature and scope | Univer SheetsComplete Office SDK · optional modules | Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft 365 · Windows desktop | Google SheetsWeb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Run existing VBA macros and VBA UDFs | — Not supportedVBA macros and UDFs are not executed directly. Reimplement automation with JavaScript/TypeScript and Facade APIs. | ✓ SupportedDesktop Excel includes VBA macros and VBA UDFs, subject to macro security policies. | — Not supportedOriginal VBA does not run directly; rewrite the logic in Apps Script. |
| Record operations as reusable scripts or macros | — Not supportedOperation recording and script/macro replay are not provided. | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Script and macro automation | ✓ SupportedJavaScript/TypeScript and Facade APIs can read, write, calculate, and format content. VBA logic can be rewritten but original VBA is not executed. | ✓ SupportedAutomate with desktop Excel's built-in VBA macros, subject to macro security policies. | ✓ SupportedWrite Apps Script or generate scripts with the Sheets macro recorder. Original VBA must be rewritten. |
Official documentation: Univer Sheets · Microsoft Excel · Google Sheets
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