Passing functional spreadsheet data by reference

A method of passing functional spreadsheet data by reference in an electronic spreadsheet, the method comprising:

• identifying information associated with a first cell of a first sheet of the electronic spreadsheet, the information associated with the first cell including a formula, the formula including a first function call, the first function call including an argument comprising a plurality of formula elements, the plurality of formula elements comprising a cell identifier associated with a second cell, wherein the second cell is one of a plurality of cells in the first sheet or the second cell is one of a plurality of cells in a second sheet of the electronic spreadsheet;
• identifying a value of the second cell, the value of the second cell being a text string corresponding to a function name, the function name corresponding to a name of a second function call for use in the argument of the first function call;
• determining, by a processor in response to instructions stored on a tangible non-transitory computer readable medium, a result of the formula by steps comprising:
• performing the first function call to convert the text string into the second function call that includes at least some of the plurality of formula elements, wherein performing the first function call to convert the text string into the second function call comprises:
• modifying a dynamic calculation graph of the formula to include a new edge and a new subtree;
• and
• evaluating the new edge and the new subtree;
• and
• performing the second function call;
• and
• transmitting, to a user device, information including the result of the formula for display in the first cell.