Google Spreadsheet: Dynamic Hyperlink Formula

Question

I'm trying to create a dynamic HYPERLINK formula that will automatically create the link based on the sheet name in Column A, but I'm not sure how (or if it's possible) to get the URL of the sheet based on the name.

Here's the setup:

• Single Google Spreadsheet with multiple tabs
• Tab names: 1500, 1501, 1502, Consolidated

On the Consolidated tab, I have two columns: Column A is the Sheet Name, and Column B is a HYPERLINK formula, that when clicked should open the corresponding sheet.

Is there a way to programmatically get the URL for the sheet based on the sheet name in Column A? Perhaps I could use a script to populate Column C with the URL, then use the following formula: =HYPERLINK(C2,A2)?

Thanks for the help!

Answer 1

Surprised to see this as a top search on Google but with no answer.

Anyway, here's the method I found that works for me: combine Hyperlink with values from a different column using the &, a basic example is shown below:

Answer 2

If you are trying to automatically generate direct URL's to specific sheets based on their name, and do not want to use scripts, you are out of luck. Currently, the only way to link directly to specific sheets is by appending the correct gid number to the spreadsheet URL. A gid must be either copied manually from the active sheet's URL, or automatically extracted with a custom function, created using scripts.

Answer 3

Since you're open to using scripts, it looks like i found a detailed tutorial of how to do this. https://www.benlcollins.com/spreadsheets/index-sheet/

function onOpen() {

  var ui = SpreadsheetApp.getUi();

  ui.createMenu('Index Menu')
      .addItem('Create Index', 'createIndex')
      .addItem('Update Index', 'updateIndex')
      .addToUi();
}


// function to create the index
function createIndex() {

  // Get all the different sheet IDs
  var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
  var sheets = ss.getSheets();

  var namesArray = sheetNamesIds(sheets);

  var indexSheetNames = namesArray[0];
  var indexSheetIds = namesArray[1];

  // check if sheet called sheet called already exists
  // if no index sheet exists, create one
  if (ss.getSheetByName('index') == null) {

    var indexSheet = ss.insertSheet('Index',0);

  }
  // if sheet called index does exist, prompt user for a different name or option to 
cancel
  else {

    var indexNewName = Browser.inputBox('The name Index is already being used, 
please choose a different name:', 'Please choose another name', 
Browser.Buttons.OK_CANCEL);

    if (indexNewName != 'cancel') {
      var indexSheet = ss.insertSheet(indexNewName,0);
    }
    else {
      Browser.msgBox('No index sheet created');
    }

  }

  // add sheet title, sheet names and hyperlink formulas
  if (indexSheet) {

    printIndex(indexSheet,indexSheetNames,indexSheetIds);

  }

}



// function to update the index, assumes index is the first sheet in the workbook
function updateIndex() {

  // Get all the different sheet IDs
  var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
  var sheets = ss.getSheets();
  var indexSheet = sheets[0];

  var namesArray = sheetNamesIds(sheets);

  var indexSheetNames = namesArray[0];
  var indexSheetIds = namesArray[1];

  printIndex(indexSheet,indexSheetNames,indexSheetIds);
}


// function to print out the index
function printIndex(sheet,names,formulas) {

  sheet.clearContents();

  sheet.getRange(1,1).setValue('Workbook Index').setFontWeight('bold');
  sheet.getRange(3,1,names.length,1).setValues(names);
  sheet.getRange(3,2,formulas.length,1).setFormulas(formulas);

}


// function to create array of sheet names and sheet ids
function sheetNamesIds(sheets) {

  var indexSheetNames = [];
  var indexSheetIds = [];

  // create array of sheet names and sheet gids
  sheets.forEach(function(sheet){
    indexSheetNames.push([sheet.getSheetName()]);
    indexSheetIds.push(['=hyperlink("#gid=' 
                        + sheet.getSheetId() 
                        + '","' 
                        + sheet.getSheetName() 
                        + '")']);
  });

  return [indexSheetNames, indexSheetIds];

}