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Formula Audit XL
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Install the Formula Audit XL task pane

The task pane edition runs wherever Excel runs — the web, Windows and Mac. It installs from one manifest file instead of an installer, so you can add it yourself in about a minute, or an admin can push it to everyone. No data leaves your machine.

The manifest URL

https://formulaudit.com/addin/manifest.xml

This is the only address you need. To install it yourself, right-click the link, choose “Save link as”, and keep the file — Excel asks you to upload it. An admin pastes the URL straight into the Microsoft 365 admin center.

Which edition should I use?

On Windows, the one-click installer gives you the full ribbon: Model Check, Cell Map, precedent and dependent tracing, named-range and consistency checks.

On the web or a Mac, use the task pane. It runs Model Check and traces precedents and dependents from a side panel in the same workbook.

What the pane does

  • Model Check: a score, the high-risk count, and every finding
  • A per-sheet breakdown of where the risk sits
  • Trace the precedents and dependents of any cell
  • Choose a finding to jump straight to the cell

Install it for yourself

Pick your Excel. No admin rights are needed on the web or on a Mac.

Excel on the web

about a minute
  1. 1 Save the manifest to your computer: right-click the manifest link above and choose “Save link as”.
  2. 2 Open any workbook at excel.cloud.microsoft (or in Excel on the web through OneDrive or SharePoint).
  3. 3 On the Home tab, choose Add-ins, then More Add-ins.
  4. 4 Open the My Add-ins tab and choose Upload My Add-in.
  5. 5 Choose Browse, pick the manifest.xml you saved, then choose Upload.
  6. 6 The Formula Audit XL button appears on the Home tab. Choose Audit model to open the pane.

An uploaded add-in stays available to you in that browser. Upload it again after you clear site data.

Excel for Windows (desktop)

about five minutes
  1. 1 Put the saved manifest.xml in a folder on a network share you can reach, for example \\server\addins. Excel for Windows only sideloads from a share, not from a local drive.
  2. 2 In Excel, choose File → Options → Trust Center → Trust Center Settings → Trusted Add-in Catalogs.
  3. 3 Paste the share path into Catalog Url, choose Add catalog, then tick Show in Menu.
  4. 4 Choose OK twice and restart Excel.
  5. 5 Choose Home → Add-ins → More Add-ins → Shared Folder, pick the add-in, and choose Add.

On a managed laptop you may not be able to add a trusted catalogue. Ask your admin to use Centralized Deployment below, or install the Windows installer instead.

Excel for Mac

about two minutes
  1. 1 Open Finder and press ⇧⌘G, then go to ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Excel/Data/Documents/wef. Create the wef folder if it is not there.
  2. 2 Copy the saved manifest.xml into that folder.
  3. 3 Quit Excel completely and reopen it.
  4. 4 Choose Home → Add-ins → My Add-ins, then pick Formula Audit XL.

The Windows .xlam installer does not run on a Mac. The task pane is the Mac edition.

Deploy it across your organisation

Microsoft 365 Centralized Deployment puts the pane in every user’s Excel — web, Windows and Mac — without anyone touching a file. It needs no store listing and no software on the endpoint.

  1. 1 Sign in to admin.microsoft.com as a Global Administrator or an Exchange Administrator.
  2. 2 Choose Settings → Integrated apps, then Upload custom apps.
  3. 3 Choose App type: Office Add-in.
  4. 4 Choose “Provide link to manifest file” and paste https://formulaudit.com/addin/manifest.xml.
  5. 5 Choose who gets it: Just me, Entire organization, or specific users and groups.
  6. 6 Review the requested permissions (read and write the open workbook — nothing else), then choose Deploy.

Microsoft can take up to 24 hours to propagate a new deployment to every client. Because the deployment points at a URL, updates reach your users without a second upload.

Requirements

  • Excel on the web, Excel for Windows 2016 or later, or Excel for Mac
  • A Microsoft 365 or Office account signed in to Excel
  • No installer, no admin rights, no macros
  • The pane reads the open workbook only — no file is uploaded

Trial and licence

  • The pane starts a 7-day trial the first time you open it
  • Paste your licence key into the pane to keep it
  • One key, both editions — a single-seat key runs on one of them at a time
  • See plans →

The pane will not open, or opens blank? Check that your network allows formulaudit.com and Microsoft’s add-in CDN, then contact us — we answer every message.

Auditing on Windows instead?

Get the Windows installer Browse the docs

For Microsoft Excel on Windows: 2016, 2019, 2021 & 365 · No data leaves your machine