Frequently Asked Questions
Reference Table Manager is an Excel add-in that lets you create, store, and manage lookup/reference tables directly within your workbooks. It includes a Formula Builder to generate XLOOKUP, INDEX-MATCH, and VLOOKUP formulas, a Data Validation dropdown builder, and the ability to publish tables as native Excel Tables on your worksheets.
All your reference table data is stored locally inside the Excel workbook file using the Excel Settings API. Nothing is sent to external servers. Your data travels with the workbook and is only accessible to people who have access to the file itself.
The Free tier includes table creation and management, the full Formula Builder (XLOOKUP, INDEX-MATCH, VLOOKUP), and range import/export. Tables are limited to 5 columns. Data Validation dropdowns and Excel Table publish/sync require the Pro tier.
The Formula Builder generates three types of native Excel formulas: XLOOKUP (recommended for Excel 365), INDEX-MATCH (compatible with all versions), and VLOOKUP (classic approach). The formulas reference published Excel Tables on your worksheets, so they update automatically when data changes.
Once the add-in is loaded, all core features work without an internet connection. Since data is stored locally in the workbook, you can create tables, build formulas, and manage your reference data entirely offline.
The Excel Settings API has a practical ceiling of approximately 1 MB of storage per workbook. For most reference table use cases (country codes, department lists, product catalogues) this is more than sufficient. If you're working with very large datasets, the future Master Database sync feature (Enterprise tier) will address that need.
Reference Table Manager supports Excel on Microsoft 365 (Windows and Mac), Excel on the web, and Excel 2021+. The XLOOKUP formula option requires Excel 365 or Excel on the web; INDEX-MATCH and VLOOKUP are available on all supported versions.
Pro tier pricing and availability will be announced soon. When available, you'll be able to enter a licence key directly within the add-in to unlock Pro features. Your existing tables and data will be preserved during the upgrade.
Troubleshooting
Add-in task pane is blank or won't load
This can happen if the add-in cache is stale. Close Excel completely, clear the Office add-in cache, and reopen the workbook. On Windows, the cache is located at %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Wef\.
Tables not appearing after reopening a workbook
Ensure you saved the workbook as .xlsx (not .xls or .csv). The Settings API only persists data in modern Excel formats. If you used "Save As" with a different format, data may not be retained.
Formula Builder inserts a formula but it shows an error
Verify that the reference table has been published as an Excel Table on a worksheet first (using the "Publish" feature). The Formula Builder generates formulas that reference these published tables. If the table doesn't exist on a worksheet, the formula will return a reference error.
Data Validation dropdown option is greyed out
Data Validation dropdowns are a Pro tier feature. If you're on the Free tier, this option will be unavailable. Upgrade to Pro to unlock it.
Cannot add more columns — limit reached
Column limits are tied to your licence tier: Free allows up to 5 columns, Pro allows up to 20. If you've hit the limit, consider upgrading your tier or restructuring your table to consolidate columns.
Still Need Help?
If your question isn't covered here, get in touch and we'll respond as quickly as we can.
📧 support@fatimode.orgWe typically respond within 1–2 business days.