State Boundaries in Google Sheets
Formula
Pull state borders into a cell. =VERVE("stateboundaries", "CA") returns a state's GeoJSON boundary and metadata — Google Sheets or Excel.
=VERVE("stateboundaries", A2)=VERVE.CALL("stateboundaries", A2)A2 holds the state 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("stateboundaries", "CA")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 |
|---|---|---|---|
stateRequired | string | argument 2 | The 2 Letter State Code (e.g., CA) (e.g. CA) |
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("stateboundaries", A2, "field", "type")=VERVE.CALL("stateboundaries", A2, "field", "type")Available fields
| Use as "field" | Type | Example cell value | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
type | string | FeatureCollection | GeoJSON type indicator for feature collection |
features | array[1] | list of rows | Array of GeoJSON feature objects representing state boundaries |
features.0.type | string | Feature | GeoJSON type indicator for feature collection |
features.0.geometry | object | {…} | |
features.0.geometry.coordinates | array[7] | list of rows | |
features.0.geometry.coordinates.0.0 | array[1079] | list of rows | |
features.0.geometry.coordinates.0.0.0.0 | number | -124.136560999568 | |
features.0.geometry.coordinates.0.0.0.1 | number | 41.4644520001748 | |
features.0.geometry.type | string | MultiPolygon | GeoJSON type indicator for feature collection |
features.0.properties | object | {…} | |
features.0.properties.gid | number | 48 | |
features.0.properties.arealand | string | -222385618 | |
features.0.properties.division | number | 9 | |
features.0.properties.intptlat | number | 37.1551773 | |
features.0.properties.name | string | California | |
features.0.properties.objectid | number | 14 | |
features.0.properties.areawater | string | -1011556647 | |
features.0.properties.intptlon | number | -119.5434183 | |
features.0.properties.oid | string | 239405626 | |
features.0.properties.funcstat | string | A | |
features.0.properties.centlon | number | -119.527746 | |
features.0.properties.stusab | string | CA | |
features.0.properties.state | string | 06 | |
features.0.properties.statens | string | 01779778 | |
features.0.properties.centlat | number | 37.1547352 | |
features.0.properties.basename | string | California | |
features.0.properties.mtfcc | string | G4000 | |
features.0.properties.region | number | 4 | |
features.0.properties.lsadc | string | 00 | |
features.0.properties.geoid | string | 06 | |
features.0.properties.geo_point_2d | object | {…} | |
features.0.properties.geo_point_2d.lon | number | -119.663749804 | |
features.0.properties.geo_point_2d.lat | number | 37.2153570137 |
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("stateboundaries", A2:A100, "field", "type")=VERVE.CALL("stateboundaries", A2:A100, "field", "type")A2:A100 is the column of state 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 stateboundaries | 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 State Boundaries in Google Sheets
Set up State Boundaries 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 State Boundaries in Google Sheets work in both Google Sheets and Excel?
Yes — the same source, the same arguments. Sheets calls it =VERVE("stateboundaries", …) and Excel calls it =VERVE.CALL("stateboundaries", …); 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.