Feature
See exactly what every cell in your model is doing
In a dense spreadsheet it is impossible to tell at a glance which cells are inputs, formulas, hard-codes, or cross-sheet links.
What Formula Audit XL does
Ctrl+Shift+M colour-codes every cell by type. AutoColor (Ctrl+Shift+U / Ctrl+Shift+A) applies finance-standard font colours by content.
The problem with doing this in native Excel
- Excel's cell styles are manual and do not distinguish between formula types
- No native way to colour-code by linkage type (same-sheet, cross-sheet, external)
- Identifying "copied" vs "unique" formulas across a range requires manual inspection
How Formula Audit XL does it
- 1 Press Ctrl+Shift+M for Cell Map. Formula Audit XL colour-codes every cell in the active sheet by type: unique formula, cross-workbook reference, cross-sheet reference, input, copied formula, data-validation input, text, hardcoded number, or empty.
- 2 Use the legend window. A legend window shows each colour and its meaning. You can edit colours to match your firm's style guide.
- 3 Remove colours in one click. Cell Map colours are temporary overlays. Click Remove to restore your original formatting instantly.
Who needs this most
- Model reviewers doing a structural walkthrough
- Auditors distinguishing inputs from formulas
- Analysts documenting model architecture
- Team leads onboarding new staff to a model
Cell Map (Ctrl+Shift+M) transforms a wall of uniform cells into a colour-coded structure diagram. In seconds you can see whether a model is dominated by hardcoded numbers, where cross-sheet dependencies sit, and which formulas are unique versus copied. No cells need to be opened.
AutoColor complements Cell Map by applying font colours in the finance-standard convention (blue for inputs, black for formulas, green for cross-sheet links). Both tools are non-destructive. One click removes all applied colours and your original formatting is fully restored.
Frequently asked questions
What cell types does Cell Map distinguish?
Unique formula, reference to another workbook, reference to another worksheet, no-reference/quasi-input, copied across/down/both, input with data validation, text, hardcoded number, and empty.
What is AutoColor and how does it differ from Cell Map?
AutoColor applies finance-standard FONT colours (not fill colours) based on content: inputs, formulas, cross-sheet links, external links, and errors. Use Ctrl+Shift+U for a selection or Ctrl+Shift+A for the whole sheet.
Will Cell Map overwrite my existing cell formatting?
No. Cell Map applies a temporary fill overlay. Clicking Remove restores your original formatting completely.
Can I customise the colour palette?
Yes. Both Cell Map and AutoColor have editable colour palettes so you can align them with your firm's conventions.
Related guides
Stop eyeballing models. Start auditing them.
For Microsoft Excel on Windows: 2016, 2019, 2021 & 365 · No data leaves your machine