Concepts

Key concepts related to GPT for Work add-ons and the use of ChatGPT and other AIs directly from MS Excel, and Word, Google Sheets and Docs.

AI concepts

Prompt

Input text given to the model to generate a response or perform a task. Prompts can be included in the sidebar of the GPT for Work add-ons, or passed as arguments in GPT functions. For guidance, see How to write a good prompt.

Model

Large language model (LLM) used in a GPT for Work add-on. You select the model in the add-on sidebar. The available models depend on the add-on and whether you are an API key or have access to cloud-hosted models or local models through custom endpoints. See the complete list of supported models.

Cloud-hosted model

Model served over the internet by a cloud-based LLM platform. This is in contrast to models served by an LLM server running on a local machine. Compared to local models, cloud-hosted models generally run on more powerful hardware, but require online access and involve sending data over the internet to an external service. For using cloud-hosted models, GPT for Work supports multiple AI providers, both model creators, such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google, and model hosts, such as Anyscale, Fireworks AI, Together AI, or any platform with an OpenAI-compatible API endpoint.

Local model

Model served by an LLM server running on a local machine, such as your own computer or another computer on a local network. This is in contrast to models served over the internet by cloud-based LLM platform. Compared to cloud-hosted models, local models offer enhanced data privacy and offline access. For using local models, GPT for Work supports Ollama and any LLM server with an OpenAI-compatible API.

AI provider

Company or platform that provides models to GPT for Work add-ons. GPT for Work integrates with multiple AI providers, including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. See the complete list of supported models.

Custom instructions

Specific guidelines provided to the model to define its role, expertise, or how it should respond to prompts. Custom instructions are set in the sidebar of the GPT for Work add-ons, and remain active in the document or spreadsheet until you change them.

API key

Unique identifier that grants access to models served by AI providers. Using an API key gives you access to more models, and affords you more control and privacy. Using an API key can also lower costs if you're on usage-based pricing.

You have two types of API keys in GPT for Work:

• Personal API keys are your own private keys that work only for you. Only you have access to models associated with the keys, and only you can set and manage the keys.

• Space API keys are shared keys that work for all members of a space. Members automatically have access to models associated with the keys, but only the space owner can set and manage the keys. For example, only you can set and manage space keys for your space. Billing for a space key reflects its usage by all members.

If you have both a personal key and a space key set for the same AI provider, the personal key overrides the space key.

You can use the same API key from an AI provider either as a personal key or as a space key.

Tokens

Small pieces of text that can represent a word or subword, a punctuation sign or a symbol. Models split all input and output into tokens for efficient processing. The token is the basic unit of usage of model providers. The number of tokens used in the prompt (input) and the AI's response (output) impacts your balance if you're on usage-based pricing.

Rate limits

Restrictions on the number of tokens or on the number of requests that can be processed within a certain time frame (minute, day, month). AI providers set rate limits on their models. Google also enforces rate limits on the daily number of requests. Learn more.

GPT for Work concepts

Space

An administrative hub for managing purchases, billing, and API keys for an individual or a team. Every user has a dedicated space associated with their account. If a user has signed in to both GPT for Sheets and Docs and GPT for Excel and Word, they have two separate spaces: one for their Google account (used with GPT for Sheets and Docs) and another for their Microsoft account (used with GPT for Excel and Word).

You can invite other users to join your space, or you can join someone else's space. All members of a space share the space's balance or subscription, depending on the plan, and space API keys. Only the space owner can purchase additional balance or manage the subscription, and configure space API keys.

You can be active in only one space at a time. If you join another user's space, you lose access to your own space, including its balance/subscription and space API keys, while you remain a member of the other space. Your usage is billed to the space you joined, and you automatically gain access to its space API keys.

You can access and, if you're the owner, manage your current space in the GPT for Work dashboard.

Sidebar

Panel in GPT for Work add-ons where users can interact with the AI, input prompts, and adjust settings. When you launch the GPT for Work add-ons, the sidebar opens on the right side of the screen.

Excel

Sheets

Word

Docs

Bulk AI tools

Bulk AI tools allow you to run prompts on an entire spreadsheet column at once without writing any formulas. You configure and run bulk tools from the add-on sidebar.

GPT for Work provides dedicated bulk tools for selected use cases, such as classification, translation, and web search, as well as a generic bulk tool for custom prompts.

For more information, see Bulk AI tools in GPT for Excel and Bulk AI tools in GPT for Sheets.

GPT functions

GPT functions are custom spreadsheet functions that allow you to run AI prompts from inside spreadsheet cells. GPT functions work exactly like native spreadsheet functions in that you can nest them and combine them with other functions.

GPT for Work provides dedicated GPT functions for selected use cases, such as classification, summarization, translation, and web search, as well as a generic GPT function for all other use cases. You can define function-specific parameters to further refine how the AI generates responses. You can find a list of all available functions with usage examples in the add-on sidebar.

For more information, see GPT functions in GPT for Excel and GPT functions in GPT for Sheets.

Formula assistant

The formula assistant allows you to generate spreadsheet formulas based on plain-language descriptions of what you want to achieve. You can also use the formula assistant to explain existing formulas (in English).

The formula assistant is available in the add-on sidebar, both under Bulk AI tools and GPT functions.