The A1 type notation was already in use with computerised spreadsheets so it definitely wasn't new. As was the principle of cells holding formulae. In 1978 I wa

The A1 type notation was already in use with computerised spreadsheets so it definitely wasn't new. As was the principle of cells holding formulae. In 1978 I was maintaining (as a trainee programmer) old Cobol based mainframe systems like that. The innovation was the visual element plus instant update.