Model Risk Report

Broken links, circular references, hardcodes, overridden formulas, volatile functions and errors that spread.

• C01_broken_nameMediumCheck family 1

  Entries in the workbook’s defined-name table that point at a range which no longer exists.

• C01_external_linkMediumCheck family 1

  Every other file this workbook draws values from, taken from its external link targets.

  Let past: Those files are never opened, so their values are not checked.

• C02_circular_refHighCheck family 2

  Cycles in the cell dependency graph, where a chain of formulas feeds back into itself.

• C03_literal_in_formulaInfoCheck family 3

  Numeric literals typed inside a formula, once quoted text, references and function-name digits are stripped out.

  Let past: The benign constants list — the handful too common to remark on.

• C03_plugHighCheck family 3

  An interior cell of a fill run holding a constant, or a formula whose shape differs from the run’s dominant template.

  The bars: fill run minimum 4, and fill run dominance 0.6.

  Let past: Each run’s first and last cell, where a seed or a total legitimately sits.

• C04_volatile_overuseMediumCheck family 4

  Sheets where the count of volatile function calls, which recalculate on every workbook change, passes the threshold.

  The bar: volatile calls per sheet 20.

• C06_error_valueMediumCheck family 6

  Cells whose stored value is an Excel error, grouped by the error and reported as contiguous blocks.

• C06_error_cascadeHighCheck family 6

  For each cell holding an error, the cells reading it directly or indirectly, and how many sheets they span.

  Let past: Error cells that no other cell reads.

• C07_anchoring_deviatesMediumCheck family 7

  An interior cell of a fill run whose formula matches the run’s shape but whose dollar anchoring differs from it.

  The bars: fill run minimum 4, and fill run dominance 0.6.

  Let past: Each run’s first and last cell, where a seed or a total legitimately sits.

• C08_whole_column_refMediumCheck family 8

  Formulas referencing a whole column or whole row instead of a bounded range, grouped by the reference used.

Numbers and dates that are really text, invisible characters, and columns that mix currencies or scales.

• C05_array_spill_collisionHighCheck family 5

  Cells already holding a value or formula inside the range an array formula recorded itself as filling.

  Let past: Single-cell array ranges, the formula’s own cell, and empty cells.

• C09_number_as_textHighCheck family 9

  Cells stored as text whose content reads as a number: plain, thousands-separated, or a bracketed negative.

  Let past: Left-padded digit strings, read as account codes rather than arithmetic.

• C10_date_as_textHighCheck family 10

  Text cells matching a date shape, grouped by shape, noting where day and month cannot be told apart.

• C10_mixed_date_formatLowCheck family 10

  A column whose date-formatted cells carry more than one number-format code, naming every code in use.

  Let past: Cells whose number format does not render a date, including text dates.

• C11_hidden_row_in_rangeHighCheck family 11

  Aggregating functions whose range spans a row or column the sheet hides, so hidden lines still enter the total.

  Let past: SUBTOTAL and AGGREGATE, which can be told to skip hidden rows.

• C12_stray_whitespaceMediumCheck family 12

  Text cells holding a non-breaking space, an invisible character, a control character, or leading or trailing spaces.

  Let past: Tab, newline and carriage return.

• C13_blank_in_tableMediumCheck family 13

  Empty cells below the header row of an Excel Table or AutoFilter range, clustered into contiguous blocks.

  Let past: The header row, and informal blocks the file never declares as structured.

• C14_merged_cellLowCheck family 14

  Merged ranges on a sheet, reported separately according to whether they overlap a declared table or filtered range.

• C15_duplicate_rowMediumCheck family 15

  Rows inside a declared table or filtered range matching another row’s values and formulas in every column.

  Let past: The header row, and wholly empty rows, which the blank check reports.

• C16_mixed_number_formatMediumCheck family 16

  A column whose non-date numeric cells state more than one combination of currency symbol and thousands scaling.

  Let past: Cells whose format states no currency symbol and no scaling.

How the model is laid out: assumptions buried in calculations, sheets that feed each other, names that clash, inputs nothing describes.

• C17_input_in_calc_rowMediumCheck family 17

  Rows where a formula reads a hand-typed constant sitting on the same row and the same sheet as that formula.

  Let past: Inputs a formula reads from another row or another sheet.

• C18_mega_formulaMediumCheck family 18

  The token count of each formula, reported at or above the threshold, naming its bracket-nesting depth as well.

  The bar: mega formula tokens 120.

• C19_sheet_pair_loopHighCheck family 19

  Pairs of sheets whose formulas reference each other in both directions, so neither can be read as the source.

• C19_reference_depthLowCheck family 19

  The longest chain of sheets a value crosses before use, reported when that chain reaches the threshold.

  The bar: sheet chain depth 4.

  Let past: Shorter chains; only the longest in the workbook is reported.

• C20_overlapping_nameMediumCheck family 20

  Defined names covering overlapping cells, or the same name defined at both workbook and sheet scope.

  Let past: Names marked broken, and names whose target cannot be parsed as a rectangle.

• C20_dead_nameLowCheck family 20

  Defined names that no formula anywhere in the workbook mentions.

  Let past: Names marked broken, which another check reports.

• C21_default_sheet_nameLowCheck family 21

  Sheet names still matching Excel’s default pattern — a stock word and a trailing digit — across several language versions.

• C21_version_suffix_nameLowCheck family 21

  Sheet names that are identical once a trailing version word or short number is stripped, reported as a group.

  Let past: Year-like trailing numbers, so sheets named by year are not paired.

• C22_unlabelled_inputMediumCheck family 22

  Hand-typed constants a formula reads with no text cell to their left on the row or above in the column.

  Let past: Typed values no formula reads, and text cells, which are not inputs.

• C23_hidden_sheetInfoCheck family 23

  Sheets whose visibility is set to hidden, with how many populated cells each one holds.

• C23_very_hidden_sheetLowCheck family 23

  Sheets set to very hidden, which the Excel menu cannot unhide, with how many populated cells each holds.

The model’s own controls — and whether they are currently passing.

• C25_unprotected_sheetInfoCheck family 25

  Sheets that hold formulas and carry no sheet protection, so any formula on them can be overtyped.

  Let past: Sheets holding no formulas at all.

• C25_unlocked_formulaMediumCheck family 25

  Formula cells whose lock flag is off on a sheet that is protected, so the protection does not reach them.

  Let past: Unprotected sheets, reported instead as their own finding.

• C26_input_without_validationInfoCheck family 26

  Hand-typed constants that a formula reads and that no data-validation rule’s stated range covers.

  Let past: Constants no formula reads, and cells inside a validation range.

• C27_dead_conditional_formatMediumCheck family 27

  Conditional-format rules whose range or formulas carry a deleted-reference marker, so they highlight nothing.

• C28_failing_check_rowCriticalCheck family 28

  A formula returning a number away from zero whose nearest label names a check, difference, variance, tie-out, reconciliation or control row.

  Let past: Hand-typed cells, non-numeric results, and partial word matches, so “Invariant” does not count.

What forces the workbook to recalculate more than it needs to.

• C29_conditional_format_volumeLowCheck family 29

  The count of conditional-format rules on each sheet, reported where it passes the threshold.

  The bar: conditional formats per sheet 50.

• C30_unused_stylesInfoCheck family 30

  The cell formats the file declares against those any cell uses, reporting the unused remainder against the threshold.

  The bar: unused styles 50.

• C31_connection_volumeLowCheck family 31

  The count of external data connections the workbook declares, reported where it passes the threshold.

  The bar: connections 5.

  Let past: Whether any connection actually refreshes.

• C32_local_path_sourceMediumCheck family 32

  Connection sources beginning with a drive letter, a UNC share or a file URL, which resolve on only one computer.

• C33_volatile_reachMediumCheck family 33

  Every cell downstream of a volatile call, counted, being what recalculates whenever anything in the workbook changes.

  Let past: The volatile cells themselves, counted separately from the cells they reach.

What the file itself says about protection and macros. Never a judgement about whether data is sensitive.

• C34_macros_unsignedHighCheck family 34

  The workbook carries a macro project and that project carries no digital signature.

  Let past: Macro code, which is neither executed nor analysed.

• C34_macros_signedInfoCheck family 34

  The workbook carries a macro project and that project carries a digital signature.

  Let past: Whether the signature can be trusted; no certificate chain is verified.

• C35_unlocked_cell_inventoryInfoCheck family 35

  Sheets holding cells that carry no protection, plus the unlocked cells sitting on the sheets that are protected.

  Let past: Sheets holding no cells.

• C35_structured_identifierHighCheck family 35

  Text that verifies as an email address, a card number passing the Luhn check, or an IBAN whose check digits verify.

  Let past: Values that resemble identifiers but fail their own check digits. Nothing is judged by appearance.

• C36_insecure_linkMediumCheck family 36

  Data-connection sources and cell hyperlinks whose address begins with http rather than https.

• C37_removable_protectionInfoCheck family 37

  Which sheets are marked protected, and that the protection password removes without decrypting the file.

• C38_metadata_contentsInfoCheck family 38

  Document properties naming author, last editor, company, manager, custom entries and comment authors, which travel with the file.

Every check this tool did not run, named. A check that did not run is not a check that passed.

• COV_unreadableInfo

  A sheet named in the workbook whose own data part is missing or cannot be located, so it went unread.

• COV_protected_contentInfo

  Each sheet that declares worksheet protection.

  Let past: The protection is reported, never bypassed; the sheet’s cells are still read.

• COV_vba_presentMedium

  The archive contains a VBA macro project part.

  Let past: The macro code itself, which is never executed or analysed.

• COV_array_formulaInfo

  Each cell whose formula is recorded as an array formula.

  Let past: Its evaluation: the formula is recorded, never calculated.

• COV_unresolved_linkInfo

  Each target the workbook’s external-link parts point at.

  Let past: The linked file, never opened, so its values go unchecked.

• COV_cap_hitLow

  Reading stopped because the reader’s cell budget ran out, leaving the report incomplete.

  Let past: Every cell past the cap, which was never read.

• COV_not_performedInfo

  One entry per fixed statement of what this tool does not check, whatever the workbook holds.

Current coverage gaps

Named here and on every report, because a check that did not run is not a check that passed.

• Drawing and shape bloat is not measured. Phantom shapes and orphaned drawing parts can inflate a file, but those parts of the file are not read. Unused cell styles are checked separately.