Generate Passwords in Google Sheets
Formula
Fill cells with strong passwords. =VERVE("passwordgenerator", 1, 16, "strong") returns secure passwords by the row — Google Sheets or Excel.
=VERVE("passwordgenerator", A2, B2, C2)=VERVE.CALL("passwordgenerator", A2, B2, C2)A2 holds count, B2 holds length, C2 holds complexity. Arguments go in that order — the same order as the table below.
With literal values
Nothing has to come from a cell — typed values work the same way.
=VERVE("passwordgenerator", 10, 12, "strong")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 |
|---|---|---|---|
countRequired | integer | argument 2 | The number of passwords to generate (e.g. 10) |
lengthRequired | integer | argument 3 | The length of the password to generate (e.g. 12) |
complexityRequired | string | argument 4 | The complexity of the password. Only applies when type is random (e.g. strong) |
type | string | "type", value | The kind of password to generate. random uses the complexity preset, pronounceable builds readable syllables, passphrase joins dictionary words, and custom honours the include/exclude switches below (e.g. random) |
includeNumbers | boolean | "includeNumbers", value | Include digits. Applies to custom and pronounceable, and to random at simple complexity (e.g. true) |
includeSymbols | boolean | "includeSymbols", value | Include punctuation symbols. Applies to custom, and to random at medium complexity (e.g. true) |
includeUppercase | boolean | "includeUppercase", value | Include uppercase letters. Applies to custom, and to random at simple complexity (e.g. true) |
includeLowercase | boolean | "includeLowercase", value | Include lowercase letters in a custom password. Set false to build from the other character sets only (e.g. true) |
excludeSimilar | boolean | "excludeSimilar", value | Exclude characters that are easy to confuse when read aloud or typed (i, l, 1, L, o, 0, O) (e.g. true) |
excludeAmbiguous | boolean | "excludeAmbiguous", value | Exclude brackets, slashes, quotes and other characters that need escaping in shells and config files (e.g. true) |
mixedCase | boolean | "mixedCase", value | Randomly capitalise letters in a pronounceable password (e.g. true) |
strict | boolean | "strict", value | Guarantee at least one character from every enabled set rather than leaving it to chance (e.g. true) |
wordCount | integer | "wordCount", value | How many words a passphrase contains. Only applies when type is passphrase (e.g. 4) |
separator | string | "separator", value | The character placed between passphrase words. Only applies when type is passphrase (e.g. -) |
capitalize | boolean | "capitalize", value | Capitalise each word of a passphrase. Only applies when type is passphrase (e.g. true) |
analyzePremium | boolean | "analyze", value | Return a strength analysis alongside each password (e.g. true) |
Passing an option
=VERVE("passwordgenerator", A2, B2, C2, "type", "random")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("passwordgenerator", A2, B2, C2, "field", "passwords.0.password")=VERVE.CALL("passwordgenerator", A2, B2, C2, "field", "passwords.0.password")Available fields
| Use as "field" | Type | Example cell value | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
passwords | array[10] | list of rows | Array of generated password objects with details |
passwords.0.password | string | aOwqDh0ZK*P;!M|%oiFYJ!IK%TMXQO | |
passwords.0.length | number | 30 | |
passwords.0.metadata | object | {…} | |
passwords.0.metadata.type | string | random | |
passwords.0.metadata.complexity | string | strong | |
passwords.0.analysis | object | null | |
count | number | 10 | Total count of passwords generated |
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("passwordgenerator", A2:A100, B2, C2, "field", "passwords.0.password")=VERVE.CALL("passwordgenerator", A2:A100, B2, C2, "field", "passwords.0.password")A2:A100 is the column of count 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 passwordgenerator | 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 Generate Passwords in Google Sheets
Set up Generate Passwords in Google Sheets 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 Generate Passwords in Google Sheets work in both Google Sheets and Excel?
Yes — the same source, the same arguments. Sheets calls it =VERVE("passwordgenerator", …) and Excel calls it =VERVE.CALL("passwordgenerator", …); 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?
1 credit 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.