New Lark users almost always ask the same question: if Sheets and Base both hold rows and columns, why are there two of them?
The short answer is that they solve different problems. Sheets is a spreadsheet. Base is a database that happens to look like one.
Here is how to tell which your task needs.
The Short Version
Both Sheets and Base manage data. What separates them is how they present and process it.
Sheets works the way any spreadsheet you have used works. Cells, formulas, calculations, conditional formatting, and the ability to chew through large volumes of numbers.
Base works like a database and a systems builder. It structures information into records and fields, then lets you present the same data as a grid, kanban, calendar, Gantt chart or gallery, collect it through forms, and act on it with automations.
If you want a single mental image: Sheets is a calculator that keeps notes, Base is a filing system that keeps working when you close it.
Note: Base can be embedded inside a Lark Doc or Sheet, but with reduced functionality. To get the benefit of views, automations and permissions, use it as a standalone base.
What Both Can Do
The overlap is real, and it is why new users get stuck. Either tool will handle all of the following perfectly well.
| Basic function | Sheets | Base |
|---|---|---|
| Input and store data | Yes | Yes |
| Manage individual tasks | Yes | Yes |
| Create lists of information | Yes | Yes |
| Build internal reports | Yes | Yes |
| Track OKRs and goals | Yes | Yes |
| Run project management and tracking | Yes | Yes |
Both also ship with substantial template libraries, so for straightforward jobs you can start from something ready-made in either tool.
Where They Actually Differ
The dividing line is not whether a tool can do maths. Base has a full formula engine of its own, including functions for filtering, conditional counting, text handling and processing lists of linked records. It also supports conditional colouring to highlight rows and cells based on their values.
The real difference is structural. Sheets gives you a canvas of cells you can calculate across and format freely. Base gives you a structured data model you can view, collect, automate and secure in ways a spreadsheet cannot.
| Capability | Sheets | Base |
|---|---|---|
| Free-form cell layout and cell-level formatting such as font size, colour and merged cells | Yes | Limited |
| Heavy numerical modelling across large ranges of cells | Yes | Limited |
| Formulas and functions | Yes, cell-based across ranges | Yes, field-based across records |
| Conditional formatting or colouring | Yes | Yes |
| View the same data as grid, kanban, calendar, Gantt, gallery or form | No | Yes |
| Structured field types such as priority, assignee, status, date and attachment | No | Yes |
| Link records between tables | No | Yes |
| Form view for collecting data or feedback directly | No | Yes |
| Dashboards summarising data into charts | No | Yes |
| Open API to pull data in from third-party sources | No | Yes |
| Automated workflows and notifications triggered by data changes | No | Yes |
| Advanced permissions controlling access down to record and field level | No | Yes |
Tip: A useful test is to ask what happens after the data is entered. If the answer is “I calculate something”, reach for Sheets. If the answer is “someone else picks it up, a status changes, or a report needs to reflect it”, reach for Base.
Test Yourself: Three Scenarios
Work through these before reading the answers below.
1. The finance manager
A finance manager at a small marketing agency needs to calculate reimbursement totals for the brand team’s upcoming event.
2. The sales agent
A sales agent wants to keep track of the status of the prospects they are currently working through.
3. The product manager
A product manager is running a feature test with a small group of internal users and needs to capture, track and present their responses.
The Answers
1. Finance manager: Sheets
Anything driven by calculations across a range of cells belongs in Sheets by default. Base can calculate, but a reimbursement model with running totals, subtotals and ad hoc adjustments is exactly what a spreadsheet grid is built for.
2. Sales agent: either, depending on ambition
Both work, in different ways.
- Sheets: Start from a Lark template and build a simple client tracker. Quick to set up, fine for one person.
- Base: Use grid view for the client database, kanban view to see which pre-sale stage each prospect sits in, and an automation to notify the team when a status changes after a meeting.
If it is your own list, Sheets is faster. If the team needs visibility and follow-up, Base earns its keep.
3. Product manager: Base
This one needs collection, tracking and presentation in one place.
- Form view creates the feedback collection point.
- Grid view lists the individual responses as they arrive.
- Dashboard summarises the results automatically as users submit.
Doing the same in Sheets would mean collecting responses elsewhere and pasting them in.
Practical Use Cases for SMEs and Startups
- Sheets: Budgets, cash flow forecasts, payroll calculations, pricing models, anything with heavy arithmetic.
- Sheets: One-off analysis where the structure will not outlive the task.
- Base: CRM, recruitment pipelines, inventory, asset registers, anything where records move through stages.
- Base: Any process where a form feeds a workflow, such as leave requests or client intake.
- Base: Shared data that different teams need to see differently, or where some fields must stay hidden from some people.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the difference between Lark Sheets and Lark Base?
Sheets is a spreadsheet built for calculation and free-form cell layout. Base is a database built for structured records, multiple views of the same data, forms, dashboards, automations and granular permissions.
Can Lark Base do formulas?
Yes. Base has its own formula engine with functions for filtering, conditional counting, text handling and processing lists from linked records. The difference is that Base formulas work per field across records, rather than per cell across a range.
Should I use Sheets or Base for project management?
Either will work, but Base suits it better once more than one person is involved. Kanban and Gantt views, assignee fields and automated notifications are built in, where a spreadsheet would need manual upkeep.
Can I move data from Sheets into Base?
Yes. Base can import from Excel and CSV, and can sync data from Sheets, so you are not locked into whichever you started with.
Can I put a Base inside a Lark Doc or Sheet?
Yes, though with reduced functionality. Embedding is good for displaying data in context, but use a standalone base when you need views, automations and permissions.
Which one is better for collecting responses from other people?
Base. Its form view creates a collection point that writes straight into a table, which you can then track in a grid and summarise on a dashboard without moving the data anywhere.
Do I pay extra for Base?
No. Both Sheets and Base are part of the Lark platform, so you are not buying a separate product to get database functionality.
Pick the Tool That Matches the Job
Neither tool is the upgrade of the other. Sheets is the right answer whenever the work is fundamentally arithmetic on a grid.
Base is the right answer whenever the data has a life beyond the person who entered it, moving through stages, feeding a dashboard or triggering a notification.
Most teams end up using both, and there is nothing wrong with that.
Ready to Power Your Business with Lark?
Lark is an all-in-one platform that brings messaging, meetings, documents, approvals, and automations together for your entire team.
As the Platinum Partner for Lark in Malaysia, Exabytes offers tailored Lark plans, hands-on onboarding, and dedicated local support to help your team pick the right tool and set it up properly.
