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Using ABN Formula on your phone or tablet

Google Sheets on a phone or tablet can't install add-ons or show their menus and sidebars. Set ABN Formula up on a computer once, then view your results on the go.

The short version

• Google's own help says add-ons aren't available in the Google Sheets app on iPhone or iPad, and that you have to use a computer. Add-ons built with Apps Script, like ABN Formula, don't appear in the Android app either.
• You can't open the ABN Formula menu or sidebar in the app. That means you can't install it, sign in, check selected cells or upgrade there. You can still cancel or manage your subscription in a phone browser.
• Set it up once on a computer, using the desktop setup guide. You can then open the same spreadsheet in the app and see the results that are already there.

Step 1: Install and sign in on a computer

Follow the desktop guide. Install the add-on, then open Extensions › ABN Formula › Open sidebar once, and add your formulas, such as =ABN_STATUS(A2). Let them finish calculating before you switch to your phone.

Step 2: Open the spreadsheet in the Google Sheets app

Open the same spreadsheet in the Google Sheets app on Android, iPhone or iPad, signed in to the same Google account. The names, statuses and GST results already in the cells are saved in the spreadsheet, so you can read, sort and filter them as usual.

Will the formulas recalculate on a phone? Google's documentation doesn't clearly say whether formulas from an add-on run inside the mobile apps. Developer community reports suggest custom functions often do calculate there, but we can't promise it, so treat results on a phone as read-only. If you add new ABNs on your phone and the cell shows "Loading...", #NAME? or an error, open the spreadsheet on a computer and it will calculate there. Results are kept for up to 24 hours, so a formula that has already run usually shows the same answer.

Optional: the desktop-site workaround

Some people open Google Sheets in a phone or tablet browser and ask for the desktop version:

1. In Chrome on Android, go to sheets.google.com and open your spreadsheet. If the Sheets app takes over, open it from the browser instead.
2. Tap the ⋮ menu and turn on Desktop site. On iPhone or iPad, Safari has Request Desktop Website in its page menu.
3. If the full editor loads, try Extensions › ABN Formula › Open sidebar.

This is fiddly. The desktop editor is small on a phone, Google may keep sending you to the app, and Google doesn't support it, so it may not work on your device. It's best kept for quick checks. A computer is the reliable way to use the sidebar.

Plans and billing from a phone

You can read about plans on the pricing page in any phone browser. Upgrading is only in the ABN Formula sidebar, so you need a computer, or the desktop-site workaround, to start a checkout.

Cancelling or managing a subscription works on a phone. Go to Cancel or manage your subscription, enter the email you paid with, and Stripe emails you a one-time code. From there you can cancel (no fee; Pro stays on until the end of the period you paid for), switch between monthly and yearly, update your card or download invoices.

Use the free template on your phone

The Supplier ABN Checker template works best when you set it up on a computer. Import it into Google Sheets there, install the add-on and let the lookup columns fill in. After that, the same spreadsheet is easy to read in the Sheets app.

Troubleshooting

• No Extensions menu in the app. That's expected. The Sheets app doesn't show add-on menus. Use a computer.
• #NAME? on your phone while the same cell works on a computer. The app may not run add-on formulas for that sheet. View it on a computer, or wait for it to sync.
• "Install ABN Formula" in the template means the add-on isn't available in that spreadsheet for your account. Install it on a computer first.
• "Open ABN Formula → Open sidebar once to authorise lookups." You haven't opened the sidebar yet with this Google account. Do that on a computer.
• Different results on phone and computer. Check both are signed in to the same Google account. Results can be up to 24 hours old.

Related guides

• Set up ABN Formula on a computer
• How to validate ABNs in Google Sheets
• Bulk ABN lookup in a spreadsheet
• Check GST registration for a list of suppliers
• Check ABNs are active before paying invoices

ABN Formula is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or part of the Australian Government, the Australian Taxation Office or the Australian Business Register. ABN status, entity names and GST registration come from the ABR through the free ABN Lookup web services. This guide is general information, not tax advice.