AppSumo LTD Setup Guide: From Purchase to First Use

Welcome to SheetXAI! If you've just purchased SheetXAI through AppSumo, this guide will walk you through everything you need to do—from activating your purchase to actually using SheetXAI in Google Sheets or Excel.

Understanding AppSumo License Tiers

Before we begin setup, here's a clear explanation of what you purchased. SheetXAI is available through AppSumo in four different license tiers. Each tier offers lifetime access with different features and number of licenses (seats).

License Tier Comparison

Feature	Tier 1	Tier 2	Tier 3	Tier 4
Price	$39 (was $180)	$129 (was $540)	$199 (was $900)	$299 (was $4,500)
Licenses (Seats)	1	3	5	25
BYOK Required	✅	✅	✅	✅
Access to GSheets AI Agent	✅	✅	✅	✅
Natural Language Commands	✅	✅	✅	✅
Advanced Analytics & Insights	✅	✅	✅	✅
Bulk Operations & Automation	✅	✅	✅	✅
Google Sheets AI Agent	✅	✅	✅	✅
SAI Formulas	❌	✅	✅	✅
Content Generation (via SAI Formulas)	❌	✅	✅	✅
Advanced Content Generation	❌	✅	✅	✅
Bulk Scraping in Cells	❌	✅	✅	✅
Bulk Image Analysis	❌	✅	✅	✅
Bulk Image Upscaling	❌	✅	✅	✅
Convert Documents to Sheets	❌	✅	✅	✅
100+ LLMs for Media Creation	❌	✅	✅	✅

Key Differences Between Tiers

Tier 1 is perfect for individual users who need basic AI assistance in Google Sheets. It includes core features like:

• AI agent access for spreadsheet operations
• Natural language commands
• Advanced analytics & insights
• Bulk operations & automation

However, Tier 1 does NOT include:

• SAI Formulas - These are required for any content generation, even for a single cell. If you need to generate content in cells (like product descriptions, emails, summaries, etc.), you need Tier 2 or higher.
• Content generation (all content generation uses SAI formulas, which are Tier 2+)
• Document uploads or converting documents to sheets
• Bulk scraping, image analysis, or image upscaling
• Access to 100+ LLMs for media creation

Important for Tier 1 users: If you're thinking "I just need content generation for 1 cell," please note that even generating content for a single cell requires SAI formulas (via the #SAI command format). SAI formulas are only available in Tier 2 and above.

Tiers 2-4 include all features from Tier 1, plus powerful content generation and bulk operations that allow you to:

• Generate content across multiple cells at once
• Scrape data from websites in bulk
• Analyze multiple images simultaneously
• Upscale images in bulk
• Convert documents to spreadsheet format
• Access 100+ LLMs for various media creation tasks

The main difference between Tiers 2, 3, and 4 is the number of licenses (seats) you receive:

• Tier 2: 3 licenses - Great for small teams
• Tier 3: 5 licenses - Perfect for growing teams
• Tier 4: 25 licenses - Ideal for larger organizations

Important: License Tiers Give You App Access, Not AI Access

Think of it like a car and fuel:

• License tiers = The car - We give you the SheetXAI app (the car) with all its features and capabilities
• API key or credits = The fuel - You need fuel to power the car, and without fuel, the car can't work

You have two options for fuel:

1. Buy fuel from us - Purchase the credit add-on (see below) and assign those credits to a seat. That person can use SheetXAI with our credits until they run out.

2. Bring your own preferred fuel - Use "Bring Your Own Key" (BYOK) and provide your own API key from an AI provider (OpenAI, OpenRouter, Straico, etc.). This gives you full control over costs and model selection.

Bottom line: The license tier gives you the car (app access), but you need fuel (API key or credits) to make it work. Without fuel, the car can't run.

Available Add-ons

All tiers can purchase these add-ons:

1. Access to Excel AI Agent - +$29 (one-time, non-refundable)

   • Adds Excel support to your SheetXAI license
   • Works with all your assigned seats

2. One-Time Credits (5,000 credits) - $59 per 5,000 credits (non-refundable)

   • Purchase up to 50,000 credits (10 packs of 5,000)
   • These credits can be assigned to specific seats
   • If you assign credits to a seat, that person won't need to add their own API key until the credits run out
   • See Step 4 for information on assigning credits to seats

Choosing the Right Tier

• Need just 1 license? → Tier 1
• Need 2-3 licenses? → Tier 2
• Need 4-5 licenses? → Tier 3
• Need 6-25 licenses? → Tier 4
• Need bulk operations? → Tier 2 or higher
• Need Excel support? → Add the Excel AI Agent add-on to any tier

Note: All tiers require "Bring Your Own Key" (BYOK) - you'll need to provide your own API key unless you purchase and assign credit add-ons to your seats.

Step 1: Activate Your Purchase

1. After purchasing on AppSumo, you'll see an "Activate Now" button. Click it.
2. Click "Activate" to proceed.
3. Enter the email address you want to use for your LTD Manager account.
   • Important: Make sure you remember this email and password. You'll need them to access your LTD Manager later.
4. Click "Create Account".

Step 2: Sign In to SheetXAI

1. After account creation, you'll be redirected to the SheetXAI sign-in page.
2. Sign in using the exact same email and password you used in Step 1.

Forgot Your Credentials?

If you don't remember your email or password:

1. Go back to your AppSumo purchase page and click "Launch SheetXAI".
2. This will show you:
   • Your license key
   • The email address tied to your purchase
3. If you need to reset your password:
   • Copy your license key
   • Go to the SheetXAI sign-in page
   • Click "Forgot Password"
   • Enter your AppSumo license key and email to reset your password

Step 3: Understanding the LTD Manager

Once you're signed in, you'll see the LTD Manager page. This is important to understand:

• This is your master account for managing your Lifetime Deal
• This account does NOT have access to SheetXAI itself—it's only for managing who has access
• You use this page to assign "seats" (user accounts) that will actually use SheetXAI

Step 4: Add Your First Seat

To actually use SheetXAI, you need to add a seat:

1. Click "Add Seats" on the LTD Manager page.
2. Enter the email address for the person who will use SheetXAI.
   • Important for Google Sheets users: This email must have access to Google Sheets. It can be:
     • A Google Workspace email
     • A regular Gmail account
     • Any email with Google Sheets access
   • Note for Excel users: You don't need an Excel-specific email for Excel, but you do need a Google Sheets email if you plan to use Google Sheets.
3. Optional - Assign Credits: If you purchased one-time credit packs from AppSumo, you can assign credits to this seat. When you assign credits to a seat, that person won't need to add their own API key—they can use SheetXAI with the assigned credits. They'll only need to add their own API key if the credits run out.
4. Click "Save Changes".

Once you add a seat, that email address will be marked in our system as an LTD user with complete access to SheetXAI.

Note: If you don't assign credits to a seat, that person will need to use "Bring Your Own Key" (BYOK) and provide their own API key to use SheetXAI (see Step 7).

What Happens Next?

• You'll receive an email with instructions on how to use SheetXAI
• If you don't receive the email, don't worry—you can proceed with the installation steps below

Step 5: Install & Verify (Google Sheets)

1. On the LTD Manager page, click the "Try for Free" button.
2. You'll be prompted to choose between Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel.
3. Select Google Sheets and you'll be taken to the Google Workspace Marketplace to install the add-on.
4. Click "Install" to add SheetXAI to your Google Sheets.
5. Once installed, open any Google Sheet and go to Extensions → SheetXAI → Open Chat.

Verifying Your LTD Status

After installation, check your credits/badge to confirm your LTD is active:

✅ If you see "LTD" badge:

• Your LTD is active and working correctly
• You have unlimited access (or access based on your plan)

✅ If you see credits (e.g., "500 credits"):

• Without credit add-on: This means your LTD isn't registered yet. You should see an LTD badge instead.
• With credit add-on: Hover over the credits. If you see "Your BYOK LTD will activate once you use up all these credits," your LTD is working correctly.

❓ If you don't see either:

1. Type ///whatsmyemail/// in the chat
2. This will show you the email address that SheetXAI sees on the backend
3. Compare this email to the one you added as a seat in the LTD Manager
4. If they don't match:
   • Either add this email as a seat in the LTD Manager, OR
   • Sign out of your current Google account and switch to the account that matches your seat email

Important: Chrome Profile Considerations

Google only gives add-ons to the first account on your Chrome profile. If you need to use a different Google account:

• Option 1: Sign out of your current Google account and sign in with the account that matches your seat email
• Option 2: Create a separate Chrome profile for work/personal use to keep accounts organized
• Option 3: Open SheetXAI in a different browser tab with the correct account

Step 6: Install & Verify (Excel)

1. On the LTD Manager page, click the "Try for Free" button.
2. You'll be prompted to choose between Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel.
3. Select Microsoft Excel and you'll be taken to Microsoft AppSource to install the add-in.
4. Click to install the SheetXAI Excel add-in.
5. After installation, you should see SheetXAI in your Excel ribbon.
   • If you don't see it, go to "Add-ins" → "My Add-ins" → Select "SheetXAI"
6. Click to open SheetXAI.

Create Your Excel Account

Important: SheetXAI for Excel uses a completely separate account system from the LTD Manager.

• The LTD Manager is only for managing your LTD seats
• Each person using SheetXAI (including Excel) needs their own SheetXAI account
• This is your first time using the Excel add-in, so you'll need to create an account

1. Click "Create Account" when prompted.
   • If you try to sign in with wrong credentials, you'll automatically be redirected to the sign-up page with the message: "This is your first time installing the Excel add-in for SheetXAI. Create your account to get started."
2. Critical: Make sure the email you use here matches exactly with the email you added as a seat in the LTD Manager.
3. You can either:
   • Create an account with email/password, OR
   • Continue with Google (recommended—no password to remember)

Once your account is created and matches your seat email, your LTD access will be automatically activated.

Step 7: Set Up Your API Key (REQUIRED - Unless You Have Assigned Credits)

⚠️ CRITICAL: An API key is REQUIRED for SheetXAI to function. The ONLY exception is if you:

1. Purchased the AppSumo addon (5,000 credit packs), AND
2. Assigned those credits to your seat in the LTD Manager

How to Check If You Need an API Key

After installing SheetXAI, check the top of the SheetXAI app interface to see your status:

✅ If you see an "LTD" badge at the top:

• You NEED to add your own API key (BYOK)
• Your LTD is active, but you don't have assigned credits
• Go to Settings and add your API key (see instructions below)

✅ If you see credits (e.g., "500 credits") and hover shows "Your BYOK LTD will activate once you use up all these credits":

• You DON'T need to add an API key right now
• You have assigned credits from the AppSumo addon
• You can use SheetXAI with these credits
• You'll only need to add your own API key when the credits run out

❌ If you see credits (e.g., "500 credits") but hovering doesn't show the "Your BYOK LTD will..." message:

• You're on a trial account, not your LTD
• This is what you're on if: You didn't add credits or add an API key, but somehow everything is working—you are most likely on the trial (trial accounts have some credits, which is why the AI is still responding)
• However, you need to assign your LTD and/or credits to continue using SheetXAI after the trial runs out
• You need to go to sheetxai.com/ltd to assign your LTD and/or credits to this email
• To find out what email SheetXAI sees: Type ///whatsmyemail/// (exactly like that with the slashes) in the SheetXAI chat
• Once you assign the LTD/credits to the correct email, your status will update

Understanding API Keys vs Subscriptions

Important distinction: API keys are not the same as subscriptions.

• API Keys: You pay per use (pay-as-you-go). You only pay for what you actually use. Most providers charge based on the number of tokens (words/characters) processed. You add credits to your account and they're deducted as you use the service.
• Subscriptions: Fixed monthly fees regardless of usage. You pay the same amount whether you use the service a little or a lot.

With API keys, you have full control over costs—you can set spending limits, monitor usage, and only pay for what you actually use. This is typically much more cost-effective than subscriptions, especially if your usage varies.

Getting Your API Key

You can use any of these AI providers:

• OpenRouter - Get your API key from openrouter.ai ⭐ Highly Recommended
  • Why we recommend OpenRouter: No rate limits, access to multiple AI models from different providers, competitive pricing, and excellent reliability
• OpenAI - Get your API key from platform.openai.com
• Straico - Get your API key from straico.com
• Other providers - SheetXAI supports many other AI providers

Setting Up Your API Key

1. Open SheetXAI:

   • In Google Sheets: Go to Extensions → SheetXAI → Open Chat
   • In Excel: Click the SheetXAI tab, then open SheetXAI

2. Access Settings:

   • Settings is located at the bottom of the SheetXAI chat panel
   • Click Settings to open the settings interface

3. Navigate to the Default or Content tab:

   • The Default tab controls the chatbot interface
   • The Content tab controls SAI formulas and content generation

4. Enter Your API Key:

   • Select your provider (OpenAI, OpenRouter, Straico, etc.)
   • Paste your API key in the provided field
   • Click Save

5. Verify It Works:

   • Try using the SheetXAI chatbot or a simple SAI formula
   • If it works, your API key is configured correctly

Recommended AI Models

Choosing the right AI models can significantly impact both cost and quality. Here are our recommendations:

For General Operations (Default Tab - Chatbot)

Recommended model progression:

1. GPT-4o-mini (Primary - use for ~90% of operations)

   • Excellent balance of cost and performance
   • Fast response times
   • Great for most spreadsheet tasks, data analysis, and general assistance

2. Claude Haiku (Fallback if GPT-4o-mini fails)

   • Use when GPT-4o-mini doesn't provide satisfactory results
   • Slightly more capable for complex reasoning tasks

3. Claude Sonnet (Final fallback)

   • Use only when both GPT-4o-mini and Claude Haiku fail
   • More expensive but handles very complex tasks well

⚠️ Avoid these expensive models:

• GPT-5 - One of the world's most expensive models
• Claude Opus - Extremely expensive, rarely needed for spreadsheet tasks

For Content Generation (Content Tab - SAI Formulas)

Recommended model progression:

1. Gemini Flash (Primary - highly recommended)

   • Cheapest option for content generation
   • Excellent quality-to-cost ratio
   • Great for generating product descriptions, emails, marketing copy, etc.

2. Claude models (Claude Haiku or Claude Sonnet)

   • Use if you need higher quality content
   • Better for creative writing and nuanced content

⚠️ Note about GPT/OpenAI for content:

• GPT and OpenAI models tend to sound robotic for content generation
• We recommend using Gemini Flash or Claude models instead for more natural-sounding content

API Key Setup Tips

• For OpenAI users: Enter your OpenAI API key directly when prompted
• For other providers: Type "other" when prompted, then go to Settings to enter your specific API key
• Multiple models: You can configure different API keys for different features (content generation, image analysis, etc.)
• Model cascade: Set up multiple models in the Content tab to automatically fall back to better models if the primary one fails
• Security: Your API keys are stored securely and never displayed in full

Troubleshooting

Issue: I don't see the LTD badge or credits in Google Sheets

Solution:

1. Type ///whatsmyemail/// in the SheetXAI chat
2. Check if this email matches your seat email in the LTD Manager
3. If it doesn't match:
   • Add this email as a seat, OR
   • Sign out and switch to the Google account that matches your seat email

Issue: I forgot my LTD Manager email/password

Solution:

1. Go to your AppSumo purchase page
2. Click "Launch SheetXAI" to see your license key and email
3. Use the license key with "Forgot Password" to reset your password

Issue: My Excel account email doesn't match my seat email

Solution:

• The email you use in Excel must exactly match the email you added as a seat in the LTD Manager
• If they don't match, either:
  • Update the seat email in LTD Manager to match your Excel account, OR
  • Create a new Excel account with the email that matches your seat

Issue: I added credits but I'm not seeing them

Solution:

• If you purchased a credit add-on and assigned it to a seat, you should see credits when you hover over them
• You should see: "Your BYOK LTD will activate once you use up all these credits"
• If you see credits but didn't buy the add-on, your LTD may not be registered correctly

Next Steps

Once you've completed setup and verified your LTD status:

• For Google Sheets: Start using SheetXAI directly in your spreadsheets
• For Excel: Begin using SheetXAI features in your Excel workbooks
• Need help? Check out our other help articles or reach out to support

Need Help?

If you have any questions or run into issues during setup, please reach out to our support team. We're here to help you get started with SheetXAI!

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This guide is specifically for AppSumo Lifetime Deal (LTD) buyers. If you purchased through a different channel, please refer to the appropriate setup guide.