Spreadsheets: New section for organizing tabular data / spreadsheets

Feature requests
1

Use case or problem

I have a lot of simple spreadsheets with formulas and graphs, or tabular data that I want to filter and sort. I would like to organize this in Obsidian.

Proposed solution

With the introduction of Canvas, Obsidian has demonstrated that the app can do more than just Markdown files. I propose a new section, similar to Canvas, that is dedicated to organizing and editing spreadsheets. A new file in this section would be a blank grid, like you would get in Excel or Google Sheets. You could import a CSV/Excel file or enter data using a UI that is optimized for this scenario. It would support simple formulas, simple charts, sorting, formatting of cells, borders, etc. It would be like a lite version of Excel/Google Sheets.

There are some existing open-source web-based spreadsheet projects that could potentially be used as a starting point. For example, Luckysheet, EtherCalc, Keikai

The actual files could be stored as .ods files (OpenDocument - Wikipedia). This is an open format, which would align with Obsidian’s core value of “future-proof format”.

Current workarounds

I am aware of the table support in markdown and the various plugins that enhance this, but this only works for simple things and the UI is not optimized for entering data or making charts.

I am aware that I can use Excel and import that file into Obsidian to store and link to my notes. This doesnt work great, and doesnt work on mobile and violates the “future-proof format” core value.

I am aware that I can use Google Sheets and just paste the link into my markdown note. This is fine, but it goes against the “total control” and “always available” and “future proof format” core values.

6 Likes
2

A great idea. I have a ton of information stored in Apple Numbers spreadsheets and would love to include them into explanatory notes that I am creating using Obsidian.

3

Given Obsidian’s plain-text orientation, if a core feature like this appeared I’d prefer it to be simpler, using CSV (preferably TSV) as the file format, with support for simple formulas and maybe column resizing.

1 Like
4

Like the concept, but would want it to stay in .md rather than .ods. Esp because I’d want to have this “in-line” within a markdown note. Perhaps the dataset delimited by backticks.

1 Like