A structured reference depends on a real Sheets table and its column names. If a formula breaks after a rename or conversion, inspect those elements before replacing it with a guessed cell range.
Confirm the table still exists
Open the table menu and check the actual table name, column headers, and data range. A colored ordinary range is not necessarily a table. Reverting a table or deleting its structure changes what a structured formula can reference.
For a table named Orders with an Amount column, =SUM(Orders[Amount]) sums that column. Spaces in table names are represented by underscores in formulas, so inspect the name Sheets actually uses.
Check supported syntax and context
Use brackets and the documented specifiers deliberately. For example, #ALL includes headers and footers, while a data-only reference excludes them. Do not assume syntax copied from another spreadsheet application is supported unchanged.
Google currently documents #This Row as unsupported. It also lists chart, pivot-table, and conditional-formatting range selection among contexts that do not support table references. A valid formula reference is not proof that every range-selection field accepts it.
Repair and verify the dependency
Update the failing formula to the actual intended table and column. Check a known subtotal and test an added record. Preserve the original formula while diagnosing so that a repair does not silently switch to a similarly named column.
If a consumer needs ordinary cell coordinates, define its range explicitly and plan how new rows will be included. After any structural change, inspect linked reports separately. A formula that no longer displays an error can still summarize the wrong population if its repaired reference points at the wrong table.
References
Reviewed against the linked official product guidance on November 3, 2026. Features, limits, screen labels, and access can vary by account, platform, region, and organization policy.