title: Smartsheet-API: Populating data and formulas in a sheet
body: <p><strong>CONTEXT</strong></p>
  
  <p>A developer wishes to populate an existing smartsheet worksheet using the smartsheet API. The data to populate consists of both data and formulas.</p>
  
  <p>However, according to the API documentation (<a href="http://www.smartsheet.com/developers/api-documentation" rel="nofollow">http://www.smartsheet.com/developers/api-documentation</a>) formulas cannot be added using the API.</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>Cells containing formulas, links to other cells, system values, or
    Gantt values cannot be inserted or updated through the API.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p><strong>PROBLEM</strong></p>
  
  <p>Testing verifies this. Attempting to add a simple formula using the smartsheet API causes the formula to be transformed to opaque text. Inspection reveals that the formula is modified with the single quote character, which renders it as opaque text instead of a formula.</p>
  
  <p><strong>QUESTION</strong></p>
  
  <p>Is there any way (other than through manual entry) to force smartsheet to re-evaluate the opaque text inserted, so as to transform the opaque text back into a formula?</p>
  
  <p>If it is not possible (other than through manual entry) is it possible to copy an existing sheet that has formulas in place, and then populate the non-formula data into the sheet, all using the smartsheet API?</p>
  
  <p><strong>GOAL</strong></p>
  
  <p>The basic goal is to find a way to populate formula data into the smartsheet application without having to require manual entry of the formula data.</p>