intersheet

Intersheet is a term used to describe the practice of linking, synchronizing, and aggregating data across multiple sheets within a spreadsheet environment. It emphasizes cross-sheet dependencies and data flows that extend beyond a single worksheet.

The concept is not tied to a single software product but is widely supported in major spreadsheet programs through cross-sheet references and data consolidation features. In practice, intersheet design helps model complex datasets that are naturally partitioned into separate sheets.

Implementation methods include cross-sheet references in Excel and Google Sheets, 3D references that span multiple sheets, and external references that pull data from other workbooks. For example, a formula in Sheet Finance could reference Budget!A1, while a 3D sum across January to March might use SUM(January:March!A1:A10). When data resides in separate workbooks, external references such as [Workbook.xlsx]Sheet1!A1 or IMPORTRANGE in Google Sheets achieve intersheet connections.

Use cases include consolidated financial reporting, project dashboards with per-team sheets, and inventory tracking that aggregates across regional sheets.

Benefits include modular data organization, easier maintenance, and transparent data lineage. Intersheet structures can simplify updates when the same data is needed in multiple locations.

Challenges include maintaining consistency across sheets, handling circular references, potential performance impacts with large datasets, and the difficulty of auditing data flows. Proper naming, documentation, and version control are important for reliability.

See also: cross-sheet references, data consolidation, 3D references, external references, IMPORTRANGE.