▸case-01 Our company uses a master inventory spreadsheet shared among 8 regional warehouse coordinators to log daily shipments, adjust stock levels, and cross-reference vendor codes across multiple tabs. We're facing frequent issues with people overwriting each other's edits, broken VLOOKUP formulas when tabs get renamed, and security concerns because warehouse staff shouldn't see vendor cost columns. Our team has about 25,000 rows of data and no dedicated IT developer, though one operations analyst is comfortable with basic software configuration.
Please evaluate our setup and generate a complete assessment report. I need:
1. A verdict section stating whether we should stay on the spreadsheet, stay and harden it, or move away from it.
2. A signal assessment table scoring our pain points with specific evidence from our situation.
3. A detailed comparison of the costs for both staying and moving.
4. A concrete action path detailing either a hardening plan or a migration strategy. | fail→pass | 34,375 | 23,244 | -32% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 4,837 | 4,130 | -15% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-02 We manage our client onboarding pipeline using a shared workbook that 5 account managers update concurrently. It currently holds roughly 12,000 rows across 6 tabs. We are constantly suffering from version conflicts, status approvals being tracked via cell shading and comment threads, and data inconsistencies where client names are typed differently in separate tabs. Our technical capabilities are limited to non-engineers, but our team lead can maintain low-maintenance tools.
Please review our situation and provide an analysis following your standard output structure:
- A verdict line header specifying the file name and recommended direction (stay, harden, or move).
- A signal assessment table listing evidence and scores across structural friction points.
- A balanced analysis of costs for both remaining on the sheet and transitioning to a new tool.
- The recommended path outlining practical steps for implementation or sheet protection. | pass→pass | 22,945 | 21,347 | -7% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 3,024 | 3,868 | +28% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-03 Our HR department uses a centralized compensation and performance review workbook named 'Global_Compensation_2024.xlsx'. It is accessed by 12 department heads who update manager notes, ratings, and salary adjustment requests. We frequently run into issues with slow file recalculations, people accidentally modifying administrative formulas, and privacy risks where managers can view salary tiers outside their direct department. We do not have dedicated engineering resources, but our HR ops lead can manage basic administrative controls.
Please evaluate 'Global_Compensation_2024.xlsx' and produce a decision document containing:
1. A clear Verdict line indicating if we should stay, harden, or move.
2. A Signal Assessment matrix evaluating our specific evidence and scores for workbook friction.
3. The Costs, Both Ways breakdown evaluating the true impact of staying versus moving.
4. The Path section laying out the step-by-step roadmap depending on the verdict. | fail→fail | 26,844 | 19,195 | -28% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 3,035 | 3,448 | +14% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-04 We are designing a PostgreSQL relational database for an e-commerce platform. Please write the SQL DDL statements (`CREATE TABLE`) for `customers`, `orders`, and `order_items` tables, including primary keys, foreign key constraints between tables, and appropriate data types for currency and timestamps. | pass→pass | 16,061 | 16,248 | +1% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,499 | 4,218 | +69% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-05 I have a Microsoft Excel macro written in VBA that is supposed to copy summary rows from 'Monthly_Report.xlsx' to 'Master_Summary.xlsm'. It keeps failing with runtime error 1004 ('Select method of Range class failed') on line `Worksheets("Summary").Range("A1:G50").Select`. How do I fix this VBA error? | pass→pass | 13,840 | 20,924 | +51% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 1,735 | 3,920 | +126% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-06 We received a file named `raw_leads_2024.csv` containing duplicate customer records, inconsistent phone formats, and ISO string dates mixed with US date strings. Please provide a Python script using pandas that loads `raw_leads_2024.csv`, removes duplicate rows based on email address, standardizes dates into YYYY-MM-DD format, and exports `cleaned_leads_2024.csv`. | pass→pass | 13,010 | 22,946 | +76% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,698 | 4,012 | +49% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-07 Our regional sales manager maintains a workbook named `Q3_Sales_Forecast.xlsx` to record personal sales projections once a week. The file contains 400 rows on a single tab, used solely by this manager to generate quarterly charts. There are no other users accessing it, no foreign key lookups across tabs, no row-level permission requirements, and no status comments or cell color workflows. The manager is considering building a custom web application to hold these projections. Evaluate `Q3_Sales_Forecast.xlsx` and output a verdict, signal assessment, cost comparison, and action path. | pass→pass | 18,110 | 9,611 | -47% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,295 | 2,764 | +20% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-08 A financial analyst maintains `Market_Tickers_Archive.xlsx` which has accumulated 35,000 historical price rows on a single sheet over three years. It takes 4 seconds to recalculate when opened. Only one analyst edits the sheet, there are no relational lookups, no cell-color status tracking, and no access control restrictions needed. The finance director wants to migrate this immediately to a custom SQL database app due to file open times. Evaluate `Market_Tickers_Archive.xlsx` with a verdict, signal assessment, cost breakdown, and next steps. | pass→pass | 19,046 | 21,349 | +12% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,486 | 3,433 | +38% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-09 Our customer success team uses `Account_Renewals_2024.xlsx` to track renewal dates. Two account managers update the file. They report two specific pain points: 1) team members regularly type client names with different spellings, breaking VLOOKUP calls across the 'Accounts' and 'Renewals' tabs, and 2) junior staff accidentally overwrite calculated ARR formulas in column G. There are no concurrent editing lockouts, no row-level permission demands, no cell shading workflows, and scale is under 1,000 rows. The manager wants to replace it with a custom database software project. Provide a formal assessment report with verdict, signal table, cost comparison, and recommended path. | pass→pass | 36,630 | 18,252 | -50% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 3,114 | 3,317 | +7% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-10 Our logistics team uses `Fleet_Maintenance_Log.xlsx` updated daily by 6 mechanics. They face three major issues: 1) mechanics routinely overwrite each other's updates during shift changes, 2) parts inventory is manually re-typed across three tabs causing data discrepancies, and 3) approval statuses are tracked using cell background colors and comment threads. The team lead has basic tech skills and can administer a cloud table platform, but there are no software engineers on staff. An external consultant recommended spending $40,000 to build a custom React/Node application. Evaluate `Fleet_Maintenance_Log.xlsx` and provide a verdict, signal table, cost analysis, and migration path. | pass→pass | 29,712 | 22,086 | -26% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 3,463 | 4,094 | +18% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-11 An operations coordinator manages `Supplier_Catalog_2024.xlsx` containing 45,000 rows of vendor SKU pricing. The sheet is edited by a single person twice a month. There are no relational lookups, no concurrent editing issues, no cell color workflows, and no granular permission needs. The department head insists that 'anything over 10,000 rows must be converted into a SQL database system'. Assess `Supplier_Catalog_2024.xlsx` providing a verdict line, signal assessment table, cost breakdown, and recommended action path. | pass→pass | 21,489 | 18,437 | -14% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,810 | 3,376 | +20% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-12 Our marketing team manages `Campaign_Leads_Master.xlsx` which suffers from 4 distinct signals: concurrent editing overwrites across 10 marketers, relational strain between lead and campaign tabs, permission issues where contractors see budget rows, and workflow tracking done via cell highlighting. However, the marketing team has no technical staff, no operational lead, and explicitly states that nobody on the team will spend time configuring, managing, or maintaining any new system or tool. Evaluate `Campaign_Leads_Master.xlsx` and provide a verdict, signal table, cost comparison, and path. | fail→pass | 23,585 | 23,232 | -1% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 3,017 | 4,201 | +39% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-13 Our event planning department uses `Annual_Conference_2024.xlsx` with 8 tabs covering Registration, Speaker Schedules, Sponsor Contracts, Budgeting, and Volunteer Roster. The file exhibits 3 signals: concurrent overwrites by 15 staff, foreign key breakdown between Registration and Budget tabs, and VIP privacy restrictions where volunteers shouldn't see budget columns. The event ops manager wants to shut down the spreadsheet on Friday and launch a total, custom-coded replacement system for all 8 tabs simultaneously on Monday. Evaluate `Annual_Conference_2024.xlsx` and produce a verdict, signal table, cost breakdown, and implementation path. | fail→pass | 42,455 | 18,182 | -57% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 6,584 | 3,947 | -40% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-14 Our facilities team shares `Facility_Operations_2024.xlsx` which contains two completely separate business processes in one file: Process A is a simple monthly utility expense log edited by 1 person with 200 rows and zero pain points; Process B is a daily work-order ticketing queue edited concurrently by 20 technicians that suffers from editing collisions, broken VLOOKUP links to asset tables, cell-shading status flags, and technicians viewing restricted contractor cost columns. Evaluate `Facility_Operations_2024.xlsx` and provide a verdict, signal assessment, cost analysis, and action path. | pass→pass | 21,353 | 12,955 | -39% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,605 | 3,435 | +32% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-15 A regional manager maintains `Regional_Sales_Compensation.xlsx` accessed by 15 sales reps. Reps need to enter their weekly deal volumes on the file, but management is struggling because reps can see each other's base salaries and commission percentages located in adjacent columns and tabs. Excel tab protection keeps getting bypassed or unlocked. There are no other signals: row counts are 500, no complex lookups, and no color status workflows. Evaluate `Regional_Sales_Compensation.xlsx` and present a verdict, signal assessment, cost comparison, and recommended path. | fail→pass | 15,856 | 27,237 | +72% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,404 | 4,823 | +101% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-16 Our editorial team tracks article publishing in `Editorial_Pipeline.xlsx`. Three editors manage 800 rows. The primary issue is that article status ('Draft', 'In Review', 'Approved', 'Published') is tracked by highlighting cells red, yellow, or green, and editor feedback/approval handoffs are written in cell comment threads that frequently get lost or resolved by mistake. Additionally, editors frequently retype author names across 'Articles' and 'Authors' tabs resulting in broken VLOOKUP references. Evaluate `Editorial_Pipeline.xlsx` with a verdict, signal assessment table, cost breakdown, and path. | fail→pass | 24,355 | 29,018 | +19% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,806 | 4,816 | +72% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-17 Our inventory manager uses `Warehouse_Stock_Tracker.xlsx`. The file has 2 friction signals: 1) staff frequently enter invalid part numbers that break cross-tab VLOOKUP formulas, and 2) workers occasionally overwrite header rows and formula cells in the summary tab. There are no concurrent editing lockouts, row permissions, or cell color workflows. Evaluate `Warehouse_Stock_Tracker.xlsx` and generate a complete assessment containing the verdict, signal table, cost analysis, and action path. | fail→pass | 20,574 | 14,125 | -31% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,793 | 3,473 | +24% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-18 A customer support team uses `Support_Tickets_2024.xlsx` edited concurrently by 12 agents. It exhibits concurrent editing overwrites, relational strain across ticket and customer tabs, row-level view restrictions, and status tracked in cell fill colors. An IT manager suggests building a custom microservices application with React, Python, and PostgreSQL. The support team lead is comfortable managing a low-code database tool. Evaluate `Support_Tickets_2024.xlsx` and produce the verdict, signal assessment, cost comparison, and path. | pass→pass | 48,566 | 22,642 | -53% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 7,192 | 3,610 | -50% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-19 A project manager presents `Project_Milestones_Master.xlsx` used by 8 team members. It experiences frequent concurrent edit collisions where updates are overwritten, relational strain linking tasks to employee IDs, and status approval tracked via cell shading. Evaluate `Project_Milestones_Master.xlsx` and provide a verdict header, signal assessment table, cost comparison, and recommended path. | fail→pass | 16,684 | 20,152 | +21% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 2,667 | 3,585 | +34% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-20 An executive assistant keeps a personal tracking sheet `Executive_Travel_2024.xlsx` with 150 rows. Only one person touches it, no relational lookups exist, no security restrictions are needed, and no color workflows are used. A software vendor tried to convince the executive to migrate this sheet to an enterprise ERP module. Assess `Executive_Travel_2024.xlsx` and produce a report with verdict, signal assessment, cost comparison, and path. | fail→fail | 18,680 | 10,028 | -46% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 3,003 | 2,801 | -7% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-21 We have two spreadsheets: `Sheet_Alpha.xlsx` (exhibits concurrent editing collisions and relational strain) and `Sheet_Beta.xlsx` (exhibits concurrent editing collisions, relational strain, and process-in-comments). Our operations lead can maintain low-code tools. Please evaluate both files and provide verdicts, signal scoring, cost comparisons, and action paths for each workbook. | fail→pass | 38,231 | 14,656 | -62% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 5,206 | 3,666 | -30% | 0 | 0 | — |
▸case-22 A claims processing group uses `Medical_Claims_Log.xlsx` which has 4 active friction signals: concurrent editing collisions across 10 adjusters, relational strain between claims and policyholder tabs, permission granularity issues with sensitive patient data, and status approvals tracked in comment threads. The claims lead will serve as the low-code tool administrator. Assess `Medical_Claims_Log.xlsx` and provide a verdict, signal table, cost analysis, and migration path. | pass→pass | 33,089 | 15,152 | -54% | 1 | 1 | 0% | 4,591 | 3,621 | -21% | 0 | 0 | — |