Whether you’re just starting out with Google Sheets or are a seasoned pro, sooner or later one of your formulas will give you a formula parse error message rather than the result you want.
It can be frustrating, especially if it’s a longer formula where the formula parse error may not be obvious.
In this post, I’ll explain what a Google Sheets formula parse error is, how to identify what’s causing the problem, and how to fix it.
The SEQUENCE function is a useful function in Google Sheets. It’s a powerful way to generate numbered lists.
SEQUENCE Function Syntax
=SEQUENCE(rows, columns, start, step)
As arguments for the SEQUENCE function, you specify 1) the number of rows, 2) the number of columns, 3) a start value, and 4) a step size.
Arguments 2, 3, and 4 are optional. However, if you want to set them you need to include the previous ones (e.g. if you want to set a step size in argument 4, then you need to set 1, 2, and 3 as well).
Keep this order in mind as you look through the examples below and you’ll soon understand how the function works.
In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to create QR Codes in Google Sheets using formulas. And how to transfer them to Google Docs and Google Slides using Apps Script.
That makes this the longest career stint I’ve had. Woohoo! 🎉 (Before this, I was a Forensic Accountant for eight years.)
2023 was a great year.
Of course, it had its ups and downs, but my family and I are all healthy and safe, which is all that matters.
I was happier, healthier, and fitter than at any time since my kids were born. The year was a success from a work point of view too, although my revenue was down slightly on last year. Most importantly, I’ve rediscovered some of my mojo that I lost during the pandemic.
I’ll dive into all of this below, but let me begin with a review of my 2023 goals:
Send my Google Sheets Tips newsletter every Monday – Yes,I sent 50 editions
Hit 70k newsletter subscribers – Close! I reached 65,110.
What about non-work goals? Here’s how it went:
Have another healthy year and get fit – Yes!!
Century bike ride (100-mile ride) – Yes, at last! After missing this goal for the past few years, I made it a priority this year. I did 97 miles, 110 miles, and 142 mile rides.
Multi-day adventures locally – yes, I managed a handful of local, overnight bike tours.
C&O canal tour with my boys – no, we didn’t manage it this year. Bumping this one to next year.
25 nights camping – I managed 11 nights camping.
Weekly brainstorming hike with my wife – sometimes, but it’s hard to do consistently.
Traffic to the website is still strong, but it has slowly declined through the year. Some of that is probably due to publishing fewer posts. Competition is also a lot higher now than when I started, and improves every year.
(December is not showing a full month of stats.)
5) Sponsorships and Diversifying Revenue
Over 90% of my revenue still comes from my courses, but I’m working to diversify and increase the share from a handful of other sources.
Newsletter sponsorships is up and running and going well. I’m looking forward to building on this foundation in 2024. If you’re a brand looking to reach an audience of 50k+ professionals, you can sponsor a newsletter here.
Referrals: I don’t do any consulting work myself anymore, but I have a great relationship with my friends at Set & Forget. I’m delighted to continue this partnership into 2024 and have no hesitation in recommending them as your partner to help you realize your Workspace and automation goals. If you have a project in mind, I’m happy to make a referral for you. Start by completing this expression of interest form.
Affiliate income: The smallest slice of the pie, but it runs on autopilot. I’ll keep it going in 2024 and see what happens!
6) Non-work highlights
Looking back across the whole year, 2023 was a good one! Lots of memories that I’ll treasure for life.
My boys are growing up fast and I’m enjoying parenting more now that we can do a lot more things together. We’ve been hiking, biking, paddle-boarding, and rock climbing this year. At home, I’ve enjoyed countless hours of football (soccer) with my youngest son. And biking, lego, and robotics with my eldest.
I worked hard on the bike this year. For the first time since my kids were born, I felt like I reversed the slow middle-aged decline in fitness levels. Remarkably, I’m finishing the year fitter than I began it. I haven’t been able to say that for a decade. And it feels good.
We did lots of traveling as a family this year, both locally and further afield.
Travel and adventure highlights from the year:
A visit to Colby College in Maine, for my wife’s college reunion
It’s said that your 30’s and 40’s are your busiest years. You’re raising young children and are in the peak years of your career.
I’m in my early 40’s and I can confirm this is true. 😂
My biggest challenge continues to be trying to balance everything. It feels like I can never give enough attention to each different part of my life. It’s like the spinning plates game. You dash from plate to plate giving each a spin. Enough attention (and momentum) to keep it spinning until you can return.
This year I had a small dip in revenue for the business. This is not a fun feeling after seeing consistent growth for the past few years. There were two main causes: 1) my energy was elsewhere at times this year, and 2) my Black Friday sale underperformed compared to my forecast.
So I’m looking to create fresh new courses in 2024 as well as grow my audience.
Looking Forward To 2024
2024 Work Goals
Each year, I seem to set fewer and fewer goals. I think I’ve come to realize that though I can predict what Q1 might look like, the rest of the year is something of a mystery. Therefore, I’ll set some early-year goals and keep the rest of the year open!
Having said that, there are two annual goals that are somewhat predictable and in my control, that I will shoot for:
Send 50 editions of my weekly Google Sheets newsletter
Hit 80k newsletter subscribers
Next, those near-term goals for Q1, including a new course or two:
I’m considering a Google Sheets Design Course teaching you how to make your Sheets look professional
I want to create a Data Visualization course for Google Sheets
Implementing a better onboarding system for new subscribers
SEO push to claw back some lost traffic
Explore new growth strategies in 2024: I think this will be a big push on YouTube! ▶️
Beyond that, I’m sure that AI will continue to play a big role in my work. In fact, I’m certain that I’ll be creating lots more Sheets + AI tutorials in 2024.
Other 2024 Goals
Have another healthy year and get fitter.
A C&O canal bike tour with my boys.
A 200 mile double century ride.
25 nights camping, with at least 1 night per calendar month.
An adventure trip with my brother.
A trip home to see family in the UK.
Weekly brainstorming hike with my wife.
Read 15 books.
Thank You!
Thank you for your support on this journey. A big thank you for taking my courses and reading the weekly newsletters and articles. I hope they’ve been helpful to you!
Best wishes to you all for 2024! I’m excited to see what 2024 brings. See you around.
