Autocomplete Behaviour

This article explains autocomplete behaviour in the Model Reef Formula editor.

You will learn:

• How autocomplete suggestions are triggered.

• What kinds of items appear in suggestions.

• How autocomplete reduces errors and speeds up formula writing.

Autocomplete is designed to make it easy to reference existing variables and drivers without memorising exact names.

1. When autocomplete appears

Autocomplete suggestions appear when you:

• Start typing in the expression area.

• Type characters that match the start or part of a variable or driver name.

• Pause after a partial name.

A dropdown list appears near the cursor showing matching items.

2. What autocomplete suggests

Suggestions can include:

• Variable names.

• Driver names (economic, operational, modifier).

• Sometimes categories or built in metrics, depending on context.

Items are usually ranked based on how closely they match what you have typed so far.

3. Selecting from autocomplete

1

Start typing

Start typing the name of the variable or driver you want.

2

Choose from the list

When you see it in the suggestion list, use the arrow keys or mouse to select it.

3

Insert the reference

Press Enter or click to insert the reference into the formula.

The inserted reference uses the correct internal syntax for that item.

4. Benefits of autocomplete

Autocomplete helps by:

• Reducing the chance of typos in names.

• Making it easier to discover existing variables and drivers.

• Speeding up formula writing in large models.

• Ensuring that references stay linked even if display names are later updated.

It is particularly useful when naming conventions are applied consistently.

5. Autocomplete and renaming

Because formulas use internal identifiers:

• Renaming a variable or driver does not break existing formulas.

• Autocomplete will show the new name in future suggestions.

This allows you to improve naming without worrying about formula breakage.

Related articles

• Picking Chart Types

• Scenario Selector

• Parent/Child Behaviour

• Build a Working Capital Model