What are the current limits of the data contained on a smartsheet, and what is it based on ?
I've found some links talking about 5000 records and 500 columns, but I've reached the point with a sheet containing only 1626 rows and 123 columns.
What are the exact specifications, and is there any way to override the settings using the api ?
There are maximums on the number of rows, columns, and cells in a sheet. There is no method via the Smartsheet API to override these limits. On this Smartsheet Help Center article it currently states the maximums as the following:
It is possible to reach one of these maximums before reaching another. 5,000 rows at 200 columns would actually be more than 200,000 cells. Once one of these maximums is reached there may be errors and the amount of data in the sheet should be decreased.
But, these aren't absolute limits. Depending on the usage of other Smartsheet features, like Formulas, Cell Linking, and Conditional Formatting, there can be limits to the amount of data that can be stored in a sheet. There are a lot of variables that can affect the performance of a sheet and the amount of data that can be stored in it, so these limits aren't absolutely specific.
This can sometimes require a process of elimination to see what can be stored in your sheet. It is best to divide up the data into logical groupings as best you can to help keep the sheets working as you need.