# Working with column values - Formulas?

**URL:** <https://community.glideapps.com/t/working-with-column-values-formulas/2793>\
**Category:** Ask for Help\
**Created:** [December 11, 2019, 2:47pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/working-with-column-values-formulas/2793 "2019-12-11T14:47:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![H\_Whelan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/43a26b/32.png) [@H\_Whelan](https://community.glideapps.com/u/H_Whelan)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 2:47pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/working-with-column-values-formulas/2793/1 "2019-12-11T14:47:29Z")

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Hi all,

I could do with your help on a tricky problem I’ve come across. It’s not really essential to my app but it’s a nice feature!

Essentially, I have a log where I record all transactions, and in a helper column I have a “Duplicate Check” formula to stop me entering the same transaction twice. It uses COUNTIFS. The issue I have is that if I put this formula in place, my transactions get added on as new rows below the bottom value of the helper column, meaning my helper column isn’t very helpful!

I have created a workaround where when a form is submitted it also submits a hidden column value that is the formula that I want to put in the helper column. Should work fine, except the only issue is that glide puts a ’ before the = of my formula, meaning the formula doesn’t actually calculate and is entered as text! Is there any way around this, or am I going to have to just do without?

Many thanks,  
Henry

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**Author:** ![ionamol](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/ionamol/32/1951_2.png) [@ionamol](https://community.glideapps.com/u/ionamol)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2019, 1:59pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/working-with-column-values-formulas/2793/2 "2019-12-12T13:59:41Z")

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Hi @H_Whelan, I think that what you need is to use ARRAY CONSTRAINT and ARRAY FORMULA to apply the formula you want to a number of rows. Almost all my apps use that, you can do a simple Google Search to understand what I’m talking abou but one usage example is:

=arrayconstraint(arrayformula(if a2:a = “”, “”, b2:b)), 3650, 1)

This checks if A2 to A (represents the last row of column A without specifying a number) is empty, if TRUE do nothing else, the row will be equal B2 to B. This formula will applied for 3650 rows and 1 column.

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**Author:** ![Jeff\_Hager](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/jeff_hager/32/43_2.png) [@Jeff\_Hager](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Jeff_Hager)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2019, 2:26pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/working-with-column-values-formulas/2793/3 "2019-12-12T14:26:04Z")

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I second the use of arrayformula, but the problem is, I don’t think it works with COUNTIFS. Is there any way you can join values together and use a COUNTIF instead with a single comparison check? That way you can use an arrayformula. Just be sure to delete all empty rows, otherwise new data will be added to a new row at the very bottom of the sheet.

[https://docs.glideapps.com/all/guides/quick-starts/intermediate-techniques/calculating-columns](https://docs.glideapps.com/all/guides/quick-starts/intermediate-techniques/calculating-columns)