GPT-4 safe mode

Use GPT-4 more realiably in your Google spreadsheets by enabling the GPT-4 safe mode, which:

• Reduces timeouts, as it bypasses the 30-second runtime limit for custom functions in Google Sheets
• Prevents loss of data and unexpected costs when your spreadsheet auto-refreshes, which happens every few hours on Google Sheets

note

This feature is being progressively rolled out and is not currently available for all users.

Request access to GPT-4 safe mode using this form.

Enable GPT-4 safe mode

1. Select gpt-4 in the model menu at the top of the add-on. More GPT-4 models will be available in the near future.

   

2. Open the GPT formulas controls drowpdown.

3. Enable the GPT-4 safe mode.

   

4. If you activate the GPT-4 safe mode for the first time, you are prompted to grant additional permissions. These permissions are required for GPT for Sheets to modify the formulas in your spreadsheets.

   1. Click Sign-in with Google. A Sign in with Google window opens.

   2. Select the Google account with which you have installed GPT for Sheets.

   3. Click Allow to grant GPT for Sheets the required permissions.

The GPT-4 safe mode is now enabled and will be used for all GPT-4 executions.

Result storage and reuse

When you execute a formula using the GPT-4 safe mode without activating Auto-replace formulas, the original formula is modified to include its own result as the last parameter.

The result is thus stored in the spreadsheet itself, available for reuse each time the spreadsheet auto-refreshes. This gives you more control over formula refresh, which you can still perform manually.

GPT-4 safe mode is a huge improvement over the cache feature, both in terms of execution count and storage/cache duration. It provides the most reliable method to reuse results in GPT for Sheets.

	Cache	GPT-4 safe mode
# executions cached/stored	Approximately 900	Unlimited*
Cache/storage expiration	Approximately 6 hours	Unlimited
Models supported	All models	GPT-4 models

* Unlimited = Within Google Sheets limits

The following table describes when results are reused or refreshed with GPT-4 safe mode enabled in different scenarios:

Modification	Examples	Consequence
None	You have made no change and the spreadsheet auto-refreshes You copy a formula containing no reference to several other cells	Result is reused*
Sidebar settings	You edit Custom instructions and the spreadsheet auto-refreshes You change the Creativity level and copy a formula containing no reference to several other cells	Result is reused*
Formula parameters	You add a value for the temperature parameter, even if you set it to the same value as in the sidebar You change the prompt, even to add or remove a period	Formula refreshes**
Formula input	You change the referenced cell You edit the content of the referenced cell	Formula refreshes**

* Reused = original result remains, nothing is sent to OpenAI, no extra cost
** Refreshed = execution sent to OpenAI, incurs cost and new result might be different from original result

Limitations

If you enable the GPT-4 safe mode in GPT for Sheets:

• Executions are a bit slower
• GPT for Sheets can only do up to 60 executions per minute (1,800 per hour)
• GPT for Sheets can't handle more than 2,000 executions launched in parallel

What's next

Auto-replace formulas for faster executions and to get raw data that you can manipulate immediately.