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What Is a Shared Table?

An Organisation Shared Table is a reusable data table that you can reference from a lookup widget in Calcs Builder. It lets you store properties for a family of elements (e.g. bolts, sections, anchors) and then pull those properties into your calculations. For example, the table below stores bolt properties such as:
  • Diameter
  • Minimum edge distance
  • Nominal hole dimensions
  • And more
example_shared_table.png Once created, you can upload the Excel file as an Organisation Shared Table and use it across multiple templates.

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Step 1 – Build the Shared Table in Excel

Important: To work correctly in Calcs Builder, your Excel file must follow a specific structure.

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1.1 Required Header Rows (A1–A4)

Your sheet must start with these rows:
label
symbol
units
referenceID
reference
Each column under these rows represents a property in your shared table.

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1.2 What Each Row Means

  • label
    User-friendly name shown in the table, e.g. Diameter, Nominal Dimension, Minimum Edge Distance.
  • symbol
    Symbol shown in the preview (LaTeX format).
    • Example: for bolt diameter you might use d_{bolt}.
  • units
    Unit for that property (e.g. mm, kN, MPa). Can be left blank if not applicable.
  • referenceID
    Internal variable name used in equations and in the L() function.
    • Usually similar to the symbol but without LaTeX formatting.
    • Example: symbol d_{bolt} → referenceID d_bolt.
  • reference (optional)
    Source of the data for that property.
    • Example: AISC 360-22, CSA, or a specific handbook.
For more on symbols and reference IDs, see the Calcs Builder Quick Start Guide.

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Step 2 – Example Header Setup

Here is an example for a bolt shared table:
labelNominal DimensionDiameterDesignationMinimum Edge DistanceNominal Hole Dimensions (Standard)Nominal Hole Dimensions (Oversize)
symbold_dimd_boltdesignatione_dmind_hole_sd_hole_o
unitsmmmmmmmm
referenceIDd_dimd_boltdesignatione_dmind_hole_sd_hole_o
referenceCSACSACSACSA
  • Each column is one property.
  • Each row defines how that property is displayed and used.

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Step 3 – Add Data Rows

Below the header rows, add the actual data:
labelNominal DimensionDiameterDesignationMinimum Edge DistanceNominal Hole Dimensions (Standard)Nominal Hole Dimensions (Oversize)
symbold_dimd_boltdesignatione_dmind_hole_sd_hole_o
unitsmmmmmmmm
referenceIDd_dimd_boltdesignatione_dmind_hole_sd_hole_o
referenceCSACSACSACSA
5/8”15.875ASTM F3125/F15542217.462520.6375
3/4”19.05ASTM F3125/F15542520.637523.8125
7/8”22.225ASTM F3125/F15542823.812526.9875
1”25.4ASTM F3125/F15543228.57531.75
1-1/8”28.575ASTM F3125/F15543831.7536.5125
M1616ASTM F3125/F1554221820
M2020ASTM F3125/F1554262224
M2222ASTM F3125/F1554282428
M2424ASTM F3125/F1554302730
M2727ASTM F3125/F1554343035
The first four rows define the structure. All rows below them are data entries.
When finished, save the file without spaces, e.g.:
  • steelBoltsCA.xlsx ✅
  • steel bolts CA.xlsx ❌

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Step 4 – Upload the Shared Table to Calcs Builder

  1. Create or open a lookup widget lookup_widget_sharedTable.png
  2. Select “Organisation Shared Table”
  3. Click “Upload a shared table” and choose your Excel file.
  4. Confirm it appears in the list sharedTable_uploaded.png
That’s it, your shared table is now available in your calculator.

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Step 5 – Using L() to Extract Values

To use values from your shared table inside equations, call the L() function.

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5.1 Function Format

L("lookup_reference_id", "property_reference_id")

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5.2 Example

If your lookup has:
  • Lookup referenceId: Bolts
  • Property referenceID: d_dim
Use: 
L("Bolts", "d_dim")
This returns the Nominal Dimension for the selected bolt.

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Download Example File

If you want to test everything above, you can download the example file here: 👉 steelBoltsCA.xlsx (Google Sheets Link) You can download it as .xlsx and upload it into your Organisation Shared Tables to try the workflow yourself.