Do "Helper Columns" Slow Down Execution...?

[Aitch]

I tend to use a lot of extra helper columns to make things easier to understand when building up formulas... but does this unnecessarily bog down the spreadsheet and reduce its speed when recalculating?

When I've finalised everything - should I delete these extra columns and use one super complicated formula to perform all the operations in a single cell?

(Or is it the other way around... do simple calculations across many columns actually make it run faster?)

Appreciate any advice!

 

[arthurbr]

IMO helper columns are the way to go. You already need to have very large sheets to slow things down, and in that case other solutions ( like PQ are available)
Super complicated formulas are impressive but can be difficult to grasp and sometimes hide errors when it is not necessary

 

[Aitch]

IMO helper columns are the way to go. You already need to have very large sheets to slow things down, and in that case other solutions ( like PQ are available)
Super complicated formulas are impressive but can be difficult to grasp and sometimes hide errors when it is not necessary

I'm working with a spreadsheet which has 2 interlinked sheets of roughly 2000 rows and 1000 columns... is that big enough to slow things down?

Thanks!

 

[arthurbr]

That depends on the formulas you use ( array formulas tend to slow things down), lots of conditional formatting,...