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The add-on stores every result in the Sheet, so a formula spends credits only the first time it runs with a set of argument values. Opening, sorting, or filtering the Sheet spends nothing. Results stay as they are until someone chooses Refresh all formulas.

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What Each Formula Costs

The add-on uses the same credits as the Shovels API: 1 credit per record returned. SHOVELS_PERMITS_BY_CONTRACTOR filters by date and property type after it reads the contractor’s permits, in pages of 100. It stops reading at the first permit older than the from date. A from date keeps the cost close to the permits you get back. Set API key… and Show credits used are free.

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When a Formula Spends Credits

The add-on keeps each result under the formula’s name and its argument values.
  • A new formula, or a formula with new argument values: fetches and spends credits.
  • The same formula with the same arguments in another cell: shows the stored result for free.
  • Changing an argument back to a value the Sheet already fetched: free. Change A1 from “Harris, TX” to “Travis, TX” and back, and only Travis costs credits.
  • Opening, sorting, filtering, or editing other cells: free.
  • Refresh all formulas: fetches every formula again and spends credits again.

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Keeping Results Current

Stored results don’t update by themselves. A formula with the default end date keeps the permits of the day it was fetched. To get current data, choose Extensions → Shovels → Refresh all formulas. Every formula in the Sheet runs again against the latest Shovels data and spends credits again.

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The Shovels Menu

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Plans and Credit Limits

The add-on works on every Shovels plan, including Free. The Free plan includes 500 credits per month. The add-on draws on the same monthly allowance as your API, CLI, and Shovels Online exports. See shovels.ai/pricing for paid plan allowances. When the key runs out of credits, formulas keep showing “Shovels: fetching…” and the menu items say “Shovels: the API key is out of credits for this month.”