Generate Short Codes

Overview

Each character of each code is picked independently with Node's `crypto.randomInt`, a cryptographically secure source, from the set named by `charset`. The sets are fixed: `alphanumeric` (the default) uses A-Z, a-z and 0-9, 62 characters; `alpha` uses A-Z and a-z, 52; `numeric` uses 0-9; `hex` uses 0-9 and lowercase a-f; and `base58` uses 58 characters that omit 0, O, uppercase I and lowercase l, so codes can be read aloud or typed from print with fewer mistakes. `charset` is case-insensitive.

`length` sets characters per code, from 4 to 32 with a default of 8. `count` sets how many codes are returned, from 1 to 100 with a default of 1.

The number of possible codes is the size of the set raised to the power of the length. An 8-character alphanumeric code has 62^8 possibilities while a 6-digit numeric code has only 10^6, so choose the set and length with the size of your campaign in mind. Codes within a batch are not deduplicated against each other or against earlier requests; collisions are unlikely at reasonable lengths but possible, especially with short numeric codes, so check new codes against the ones you have already issued.

The response echoes `length`, `charset` and `count`, the actual number of entries in `codes`. `url_safe` is true for all five sets, because none of them contains a character that needs escaping in a URL path or query string.

Live Test Generate Short Codes Source →

Formula

One function covers the whole catalog: the first argument names the source, the next are its inputs, and the field after them says which single value lands in the cell. Formulas covers the grammar that applies to all of them.

=VERVE("shortcodegenerator", "url_safe")

Inputs

Required inputs are positional, in the order below, followed by the field. Everything else is passed as a "name", value pair after that — the same shape as SUMIFS. Premium inputs are accepted on every plan but only take effect on plans that include them.

Input	Type	Where it goes	Description
`count`Optional	integer	"count", value	Number of codes to generate default 1 · range 1–100
`length`Optional	integer	"length", value	Length of each code default 8 · range 4–32
`charset`Optional	string	"charset", value	Character set `alphanumericalphanumerichexbase58` default alphanumeric

Passing an option

=VERVE("shortcodegenerator", "url_safe", "count", 5)

What lands in your sheet

The field — the argument after the inputs — is what makes the formula resolve to one cell. Its value is a dot-path from the table below, so swapping it is how you pull a different value — one formula per column.

Seeing everything at once

Leave the field out and the formula returns the whole response instead: two columns, field name on the left and value on the right, spilling from the cell you typed in.

=VERVE("shortcodegenerator")

Good for exploring, not for filling down

The second row's table would land on top of the first's, and every cell after the first reads #REF! (#SPILL! in Excel). Keep one per sheet, or name a field, and leave the cells below and to the right empty.

Response fields

Paths are relative to data. Each one is exactly what the field argument accepts, so swapping it is how you pull a different value into a cell. On a plan without a Premium field the cell reads #PREMIUM(field) rather than a value, so a locked field never looks like a real answer.

Use as the field	Type	Example cell value	Description
`codes`	array	`["bgiFznFh","jr84hHsG","Q77qABwn"]`	Array of generated short codes
`count`	number	`5`	Number of codes generated
`length`	number	`8`	Length of each generated code
`charset`	string	`alphanumeric`	Character set used for generation
`url_safe`	boolean	`true`	Whether the generated codes are safe to use in a URL without encoding

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() will not catch it; test with LEFT(cell, 4) = "#ERR" instead. Error handling covers the rest.

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`	A preview formula was copied as-is. Swap the placeholder for a cell reference.
`#ERR No "x" in shortcodegenerator`	An option name this source does not take. The message lists the ones it does.
`#ERR No data point "…"`	The field path is not in the response. Check it against the table above.
`#PREMIUM(field)`	The field exists but your plan does not include it.
`#ERR Out of credits`	The cycle'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 does not 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.

Use cases

URL Shortening: Generate short codes for URL shortening services and link tracking
Voucher Systems: Create unique voucher and coupon codes for e-commerce and promotions
Temporary Access: Generate temporary access codes and one-time passwords for authentication
Referral Programs: Create short referral codes for marketing and referral tracking systems

Other ways to use Generate Short Codes

Set up Generate Short Codes on VerveSheets, or reach the same source a different way. Your VerveSheets account and credits work on all of them — one key, one balance.

Call it as a REST APIOne HTTPS endpoint and an x-api-key header, with SDKs for Node, Python and .NET.APIVerve →Reference →

Give it to an AI agentConnect over MCP and your agent calls it as a native tool — Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT.VerveKit →Reference →