From Macro to AppSheet

[2rdaaron]

Hi everyone! 👋 I'm using Appsheet for the first time and I have yet to fully understand its potential and how it works.
I have an Excel that has Macros, but I know it can't work with AppSheet, so I wanted to restructure it and replace Macros (or remove them) with AppSheet functions.
This Excel has multiple tables, connected to each other, present in different Sheets. Then I would have another Sheet (1) with little tables where, in different cells, I can select from drop-down menus some items present in the tables of the other Sheets (and I also have buttons for Macros, but eventually I can replace them with drop-down menus), and in other cells I have to manually write values. The combinations of the drop-down menus and what I write determine the compilation of another Sheet/s ready for printing.
I wonder, should I basically not use the Sheet (1) and replicate its functions (drop-down menu, spaces where to write) on the Appsheet? On the other hand, can what I compile on the AppSheet appear in the cells of the Sheet (1)?

Thank you

[Swoopy]

"restructure it and replace Macros (or remove them) with AppSheet functions"
Generally no need to do that, AppSheet can just pull calc-results from macros and use in the created apps.

"Sheet (1) with little tables where, in different cells, I can select from drop-down menus some items present in the tables of the other Sheets"
If the Sheet (1) has only 1 column storing the drop-down options, use 'Enum' or 'Enum list' column type instead in AppSheet to suit user interactions.

"I wonder, should I basically not use the Sheet (1)"
You may still need the Sheet (1) if it contains other columns storing other attributes refered to the drop-down menus. In AppSheet, the Sheet (1) works as parent table for other tables that refer to it via 'ref' column type.

[2rdaaron]

Thank you, I'll follow your advices.

However I need to step back to set the tables of the other sheets for Appsheet. In particular, do you have any suggestions to set these two tables?

This (meal template) includes meal name taken from the other table I posted below (timing template). I dont' know how to structure it: meals and foods. Furthermore, first column is not necessary (it can be replaced by the ID column), but I should create a drop-down menu for every food cell (instead macro).

And this (timing template). In have no idea how to separate elements.

[Swoopy]

I highly recommend you to learn database design basic. It's really important if you take serious of your apps (not only on AppSheet platform). It prevents you from many problems and confusing along the way. My other tips are

- Make your physical tables (on Google Sheets) as simple as possible, no eye-candy things like colors & lines, cell merging, alignment, symbol, emoji, etc.

- Keep physical column names as short as possible. It helps shortening your expressions on AppSheet. If you need longer names, you can put them in Display Name (caption) option.

- At first in learning AppSheet, it would be better to make your physical tables formula free. Use virtual columns on AppSheet holding expressions instead.

According to your sample, this may give you some idea how to build relational tables for your app's database.

2 tables in relation

There would be a lot to go. Good luck mate !

[2rdaaron]

Thank you so much! In the meantime I've tried to create my tables and database. So I created separated clients, stretegies, meals and foods database. However, thinking about the correct method you suggested to me to create tables, which formulas or Appsheet settings do you suggest to simply relate tables?
Imagine that I would create such a thing:

• instead colum "diet" there's "data"
• for every data there is a strategy
• for every data there are different meals
• for every meal there are foods
• every food has its properties

In my App I would like to click to expand each item:
client > data > meal

Thank you