What makes a good or bad spreadsheet model?

Answer 1

A good spreadsheet model is clear, organized, and user-friendly, featuring logical structure, consistent formatting, and well-documented formulas that facilitate easy understanding and updates. It effectively uses data validation and error-checking to minimize mistakes and ensures that key assumptions and inputs are easily identifiable. In contrast, a bad spreadsheet model is often cluttered, lacks transparency, and contains complex, undocumented formulas that make it difficult to follow or audit, leading to a higher risk of errors and misinterpretations. Overall, clarity, simplicity, and robustness are essential for effective spreadsheet modeling.