DNS Lookup in a Cell
Formula
Pull live DNS records into your spreadsheet. Use =VERVE("dnslookup", A2) to read A, MX and TXT records across a column — Sheets or Excel, auto-refreshing.
=VERVE("dnslookup", A2)=VERVE.CALL("dnslookup", A2)A2 holds the domain you're looking up. Drag the formula down and each row resolves on its own.
With literal values
Nothing has to come from a cell — typed values work the same way.
=VERVE("dnslookup", "myspace.com")Inputs
Required inputs are positional, in the order below. Everything else is passed as a "name", value pair after them — the same shape as SUMIFS.
| Input | Type | Where it goes | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
domainRequired | string | argument 2 | The domain name for which you want to lookup the DNS records. Do not include the protocol, and not subdomains (e.g., myspace.com) (e.g. myspace.com) |
What lands in your sheet
With no "field" pair the formula spills the whole response as two columns — field name on the left, value on the right — starting at the cell you typed in. Make sure the cells below and to the right are empty.
Pulling one value
Add a "field" pair to get a single cell back instead of a table. The field name is the dot-path from the table below.
=VERVE("dnslookup", A2, "field", "domain")=VERVE.CALL("dnslookup", A2, "field", "domain")Available fields
#PREMIUM(field) rather than a value, so a locked field never looks like a real answer.| Use as "field" | Type | Example cell value | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
domain | string | myspace.com | The domain name that was queried |
records | object | {…} | Object containing all DNS records for the domain |
records.A | array | ["34.111.176.156"] | IPv4 address records for the domain |
records.MX | array[2] | list of rows | Mail exchange server records with priority |
records.MX.0.exchange | string | us-smtp-inbound-1.mimecast.com | |
records.MX.0.priority | number | 10 | |
records.NSPremium | array | ["ns-cloud-a4.googledomains.com","ns-cloud-a1.googledomains.com","ns-cloud-a2.googledomains.com"] | Nameserver records for the domain |
records.SOAPremium | object | {…} | Start of Authority record with DNS zone info |
records.SOA.nsname | string | ns-cloud-a1.googledomains.com | Primary nameserver hostname |
records.SOA.hostmaster | string | cloud-dns-hostmaster.google.com | Email address of domain administrator |
records.SOA.serial | number | 2 | Serial number for zone version tracking |
records.SOA.refresh | number | 21600 | Secondary server refresh interval in seconds |
records.SOA.retry | number | 3600 | Retry interval for failed transfers |
records.SOA.expire | number | 259200 | Zone expiration time in seconds |
records.SOA.minttl | number | 300 | Minimum time to live for records |
records.TXTPremium | array | ["cr40m536tje9on1slld9bi81bg","qpdYoeakhlmAxsnmxgAVFmJgUSibqb/y+Eu6GGn8pdmLf+mFGIB3jhRAxIC5KObsPMES9MW2c+oOrpOo/lCQVw==","oZ19a+EOIwWVDPJ7POj14UAGBfzk9xcJMmsTUAMUy7H82sDuVCxvw9rZqdg3znFrdTH04+49zd1djhEAt0ooiA=="] | Text records including SPF, DKIM, verification data |
summary | object | {…} | At-a-glance flags derived from the records above |
summary.hasIPv6 | boolean | false | Whether the domain publishes any AAAA (IPv6) records — indicates dual-stack readiness |
summary.hasMailServers | boolean | true | Whether the domain publishes any MX records — indicates it is configured to receive email |
summary.hasSPFPremium | boolean | true | Whether a TXT record starting with v=spf1 is present — a coarse email-authentication posture flag (use the SPF Validator to parse it) |
Filling a whole column
Hand the first argument a range instead of a cell and the add-in makes one batched call for the lot, then spills the answers down. That is faster than dragging the formula and costs the same credits — one per row looked up.
=VERVE("dnslookup", A2:A100, "field", "domain")=VERVE.CALL("dnslookup", A2:A100, "field", "domain")A2:A100 is the column of domain values. The result spills down alongside it, one row per input, blanks skipped.
When a cell doesn't fill
A failed lookup returns readable text starting with #ERR rather than a spreadsheet error, because Excel cannot show a custom message on a real error — you would get a bare #VALUE! with no reason. The trade-off is that IFERROR() won't catch it; test with LEFT(cell, 4) = "#ERR" instead.
| Cell reads | What happened |
|---|---|
#ERR Not connected | No API key saved. Open the side panel and connect your account. |
#ERR Replace <name> with a cell or value | The preview formula was copied as-is. Swap the placeholder for a cell reference. |
#ERR No "x" in dnslookup | An option name that this source doesn't take. The message lists the ones it does. |
#ERR No data point "…" | The "field" path isn't in the response. Check the dot-path against the table above. |
#PREMIUM(field) | The field exists but your plan doesn't include it. |
#ERR Out of credits | The month's credits are spent. Usage resets on your billing date. |
Before the formula works
The add-in reads the API key you saved once in the side panel — the key never goes in the formula, so a shared sheet doesn't leak it and a collaborator without access simply sees the last calculated values.
- Install the add-in for Google Sheets or Excel.
- Open the side panel and sign in, or paste a key from your dashboard.
- Type the formula above into any cell.
Other ways to use DNS Lookup in a Cell
Set up DNS Lookup in a Cell on VerveSheets, or reach the same source a different way. Your VerveSheets account and credits work on all of them — one key, one balance.
Frequently asked questions
Does DNS Lookup in a Cell work in both Google Sheets and Excel?
Yes — the same source, the same arguments. Sheets calls it =VERVE("dnslookup", …) and Excel calls it =VERVE.CALL("dnslookup", …); that function name is the only difference.
Do the cells recalculate on their own?
They recalculate when the sheet does — on edit, on open, or on a manual recalc. Each recalculation is a fresh call and spends credits, so for a large static column it's worth copying the results and pasting them as values.
How many credits does a filled column cost?
5 credits per row looked up, whether you drag the formula or pass a range. The range form is one HTTP call instead of many, but the credit count is the same.
Can I share the sheet without sharing my key?
Yes. The key is stored against your account, not in the file. Collaborators see the values already in the cells; formulas only recalculate for someone who has connected their own account.
Why is a cell showing #ERR instead of an error?
So you can read the reason. Excel can't display a custom message on a real spreadsheet error, so the add-in returns the explanation as text on both platforms instead.