Missing function browser (equation terms library) in Numbers app on Mac mini

The answer is deceptively simple, click on the Format Icon in the top-right corner of the document window. The Function Browser visibility state is bound (disastrously IMHO) to the state of the Format tools sidebar. There is no UI hinting or Numbers help topics, or Menu Item "Show Function Browser" / "Hide Function Browser" state toggle or any other hints that these two things are bound.

If the Format sidebar is not showing it's easy enough to look around and see the word "Format" and there's a bunch of help topics to find it. Not so for the Function Browser. I provided Apple with some Feedback. I hope they fix this to some extent at least with a Fx Menu item to show the Function Browser or some other kind of toggle on the Equation Editor floating window or the main document window or in the App menus. Preferably with or more than one solution to make it more discoverable. And putting something in the Help that comes up when you put Function Browser into the Help> Search field would be a good idea I think.

If the Function Browser goes missing when you click in a formula or a cell set to take a formula, its because either:

A) the user clicked on the Format Icon (top-right corner of document window) to hide the Format sidebar tools

B) clicked on the Organise Icon to Sort, Filter,… a table, in which case there is just a blank grey space where the Function Browser should be appearing when working with an Equation. That's more of a hint at least.

Doing either of these things will determine that when a formula text is selected, the Formula Browser does not appear on the right hand side of the document window.

when in hidden state:

when in visible state:

Regarding your other question/comment about IF, NOT, AND etc…

This post had nothing to do with the particular formula posted in the screenshot(s). As the title indicates, it's about the Function Browser sidebar going missing at times and there being no immediate accounting for the reason as to why (the fact that it the appearance of the Function Browser is bound to the state of the Format sidebar visibility).

thanks. I've never used the "show function in browser" and I did see it but didn't read closely enough to try it i guess. I do use the "show function name as text" occasionally, but usually I'm able to coerce that behaviour by clicking and in the formula somehow.

I still think that there's an issue as described in my OP.

The "Format" button is bound to the appearance of the Formula Browser and that is illogical to my mind, and needs some kind of clarification in the UI.

Please understand I took the time to write this an log on the Apple Feedback app because it's a point of user friction, at least for me and there must be others who go through this, even if non-neurotypical people. Saying "you missed this workaround thing I know about… so i have no idea what yu are talking about" shows that either A) yes you do know what I'm talking about but you have an adequate solution that you never forget or

B) you haven't experienced what I'm talking about but have offered a solution that I didn't think of.

In both cases your workaround solution is helpful, but the denial of the UI issue in the first place is not helpful. Thanks.

Hey thanks, SG. Good point.

I did notice that web-based function guide when I typed "function browser" into Numbers> Help menu> search, but by this stage I was determined to get to the bottom of why I sometimes loose the built-in Function Browser so kept pushing until I got to work it out.

Thanks Yellowbox, that wasn't the issue. The issue was as described. I have 2x 27" 4K displays running so real estate wasn't the issue. Thanks anyhow!