Excel and spreadsheet help: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What excel and spreadsheet help is

A specialist builds or fixes spreadsheets with formulas, charts, pivot tables, macros and clean layouts, and can teach you to maintain them yourself. You need it when a spreadsheet gives wrong totals, has grown too complex to manage, or needs reports you cannot build.

Signs you need it

  • Totals in the spreadsheet do not match the source numbers
  • The file is slow, large or crashes when you open it
  • The formulas are hard to follow and only one person understands them
  • You need a report or chart that the file cannot produce
  • The sheet has macros or links that break or cause security warnings

What the pro does

  • Reviews the file to find the formulas, links and data problems
  • Explains what is wrong and how it affects your numbers
  • Rebuilds or fixes the formulas, tables, pivots and charts that need work
  • Cleans the layout and protects the cells that must not change
  • Trains you to use and update the file, and leaves a short guide

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • The size and number of sheets in the file
  • The number of formulas, links and macros to review
  • Whether the file needs a full rebuild or a repair
  • Whether macros must be written or fixed
  • Whether a dashboard or a set of reports is required
  • Whether training is included

What a written quote should spell out

  • The problems found and the fixes made
  • The formulas, pivots, charts or macros built or changed
  • Any data cleaning done, and what was changed
  • The training and guide provided
  • Support period for questions after the work

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Can you explain what was wrong with my numbers?
  • Will you leave me a guide so I can maintain the file?
  • Will the macros work on my computer and version of the software?
  • Can you protect the file so people do not break the formulas?
  • Will you keep a copy of my original file?
  • What support do you give after the work?

Red flags

  • Changes the file without keeping the original
  • Says the numbers are fine without checking the formulas
  • Writes macros that you cannot run or understand
  • Will not explain what was changed

What you can do yourself

Keep a copy of the original file before any change, and write down the numbers you expect each total to show so you can check them yourself. Use the built in help for the formulas you use most. Hire a specialist for a rebuild, complex formulas, macros or a dashboard.

Licenses and permits

A license is usually not required for spreadsheet help. Check with your state or local licensing agency about any business registration that applies, and ask the specialist for examples of past work.

Excel and spreadsheet help questions

Can you recover a spreadsheet that has broken?

Often yes. Keep the original file and any backups, and ask the specialist to check the file before you make changes.

Are macros safe to run?

Only run macros from people you trust. Ask the specialist to explain what each macro does before you enable it.

How do I keep the file working after the work is done?

Ask for a guide, a short training and a list of the formulas that matter most, so you know what to change and what to leave alone.

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