Google spreadsheet computation load distribution with multiple computers?

Question

In a Google spreadsheet that performs a lot of intense calculation, does opening the sheet on multiple computers provide more CPU resources to spread out the computation load?

The sheet contains big lists (largely generated from data inputs) and mostly these functions: arrayformula, filter, if, sum, and consequential sum where 1 change at the beginning of the chain and propagate chain reactions and cause many other recalculations. But no RAND or NOW, and no importrange however there's multiple sheets in the same file referencing each other.

If data is uploaded from my PC and the status shows "All chances saved in Drive", can I close the tab and expect the other client PCs to perform the calculations, then return later to see the completed results? Or will my PC recalculate everything upon reopening (even without any new changes) the tab?

Does the account signed in on each computer matter? Same account or multiple different ones work better?

PS: One interesting observation I have is that while making "intense" changes on either PC, it can cause spikes in CPU load in the other PCs and sometimes cause them to become unresponsive or hang!?

Answer 1

There is no way to distribute computation load of a single spreadsheet between several end-user computers. Many of the function calculation are made on client-side each time that the spreadsheet is opened and recalculated, meaning the calculations are made on each computer when the spreadsheet is openened/recalculated. Most of the functions are recalculated each time a cell is edited, the exceptions are built-in functions like IMPORTRANGE and custom functions.

Some workarounds are

• Split the calculations having one range/sheet that does some part of the calculations then copy the the results as values to another range/sheet and use that as source for further calculations. Google Apps Script could help to handle this.

  • Related

    • Tie Google Sheets cell updating formula to script that runs on demand?
    • Replacing a spreadsheet formula with its result when the result satisfies a condition

• Similar to the above but instead of using a single spreadsheet, use multiple spreadsheets and IMPORTRANGE.

Remark

• Recalculation occur every single time the spreadsheet is opened, meaning when the spreadsheet is opened on different computers even on different web browser tabs it will be recalculated on each computer/tab.

Answer 2

No. There is no such thing as "hive computation" in Google Sheets. Even if you have a personal array of computers, it does not matter, because computation is done per each end unit. What does matter is the computation power of each single end unit. In some cases, if that power is poor then it can actually slow down the whole process of computation.

In other words, if you have two rigs accessing a spreadsheet from same or different accounts, your sheet will not be "faster" compared to a scenario where you use 1 PC.