Why are calculations in LLMs so unreliable to begin with?

Most Large Language Models (LLMs) are capable of performing some calculations on their own. While they handle simple arithmetic reasonably well and continue to improve, they frequently make mistakes—and worse, they're “unaware” of them. This means they present incorrect results with the same confidence as correct ones.

To address this limitation, ChatGPT for example includes an integrated Python runtime environment (Code Interpreter). When asked to perform calculations, it often writes Python code to execute them. These calculations are generally reliable, provided the language model correctly understands the user’s instructions. However, the types of calculations commonly found in spreadsheets can be difficult to describe in natural language and surprisingly tricky to replicate with traditional programming.

In many ways, spreadsheets act as a specialized programming language for business calculations, and a vast amount of business data and logic is already encoded in this format. Unfortunately, LLMs cannot directly access or understand spreadsheet models, including their formulas, references, and calculation methods. Worse still, when users upload spreadsheets to LLMs, they attempt to interpret them using code, essentially inventing logic on the fly.

By integrating GRID with LLMs, we combine strengths: LLMs excel at language, while GRID ensures reliable and accurate handling of numbers. Let LLMs handle the words and leave the calculations to us.

How compatible are the calculations to Excel and Google Sheets?

GRID's spreadsheet engine is the most sophisticated such engine outside Microsoft and Google and even rivals them on several fronts. This blog post details the compatibility and offers comparison to other engines in the market.
The engine has been powering our Calculator Studio product since 2021, running tens of thousands of models built in traditional spreadsheet software, many of them very complex and often requiring "animation speed" calculations.
You can follow these links to read about our function and operator support specifically.

Why do I need a spreadsheet engine?

Most companies rely on spreadsheets more than they realize. Behind the scenes, there's often a “spreadsheet fabric” holding together critical processes—whether it's one-off calculations or decades-old workbooks still running core operations.
If you’re a developer, chances are you’ve been asked to translate spreadsheet logic into code. A spreadsheet engine lets you skip that step by integrating directly with the logic and data already in place. Instead of manually updating Excel files or rewriting formulas, you can automate calculations and connect them to your app or workflow—perfect for modern use-cases like AI-powered tools, internal dashboards, or custom integrations.

Does the GRID API modify my spreadsheet?

No, your original spreadsheet model remains unchanged. The GRID spreadsheet engine performs dynamic recalculations and scenario analysis on your data without altering the original file, ensuring your models stay safe.

What are the primary use cases for the GRID API?

The GRID API enables seamless integration of complex spreadsheet calculations into various applications. It allows Custom GPTs to access spreadsheet models for reliable calculations in areas like sales, HR, and finance. It also enhances customer service by enabling chatbots to deliver accurate, real-time calculations, such as price quotes. Additionally, it empowers developers to convert spreadsheets into APIs, speeding up software development without the need to rebuild existing calculations.

I can already upload spreadsheets to Chat GPT. Why do I need GRID?

ChatGPT will handle every XLSX file as a data file. It will ignore any formulas and simply read the values saved in the file. This means ChatGPT can work really well with tabular data stored in spreadsheets - think data that could just as well be saved in a CSV file - but will make dangerous errors with spreadsheet models and formulas.
GRID integrates a true spreadsheet engine with ChatGPT enabling reliable and verifiable spreadsheet calculations in natural language interactions.