A proper spreadsheet audit — every formula, every hardcoded number, every broken reference — can take half a day if you do it by hand. These five Claude prompts turn that into a focused pass you can run before a review, a handover, or a month-end close. Paste the structure, not the whole file, and work through it section by section.
What to know before you paste
- Claude cannot open your .xlsx file. Export the sheet as CSV, or copy the formula text from the formula bar, so the audit reads real content.
- Include the header row and a few sample rows. Without them, the model guesses at column meaning and its risk notes get generic.
- State the purpose of the file. An audit for a finance close checks different things than one for a marketing tracker, so say which it is.
The prompts
1. Formula inventory and risk scan
You are auditing a spreadsheet. Here is the structure and a sample of formulas: [paste headers and formulas]. List every distinct formula pattern you see, group them by purpose, and flag any that are fragile — deep nested IFs, volatile functions, or references to [risky range]. Rate each flag as low, medium, or high risk with one reason.What it does: Gives you a grouped map of formulas and the ones most likely to break.
How to use: replace [paste headers and formulas] and [risky range] with your actual cells or sheet name.
2. Find hardcoded numbers inside formulas
Review these formulas for hardcoded values that should be named cells or inputs: [paste formulas]. For each one, name the cell it lives in, quote the hardcoded number, and suggest a named input to replace it. Sort the results so the ones in [critical sheet] come first.What it does: Surfaces magic numbers that quietly break when assumptions change.
How to use: replace [paste formulas] and [critical sheet] with the sheet that matters most.
3. Trace a broken reference
One cell shows [error value]. Context: [what the cell is supposed to do]. Other cells in the sheet are: [paste nearby formulas]. Walk through the chain of references and tell me the most likely place the chain breaks, then list the next two things to check if that is not it.What it does: Finds the break in a reference chain instead of guessing.
How to use: replace [error value], [what the cell is supposed to do], and [paste nearby formulas].
4. Check that totals tie out
Verify that the totals in this sheet reconcile. Subtotals: [list subtotal cells]. Grand total: [grand total cell]. Underlying range: [range]. Tell me which checks to run, and give me the formula for each check so I can drop them in a scratch column and see pass or fail.What it does: Confirms subtotals and the grand total actually agree.
How to use: replace the subtotal cells, [grand total cell], and [range] with real references.
5. Write the audit summary
Turn my audit findings into a short summary for [audience]: [paste findings]. Group issues by risk, give each a one-line fix, and add a priority order. Keep it under one page and use plain language, no spreadsheet jargon where a normal word works.What it does: Converts a pile of findings into something you can send to a reviewer.
How to use: replace [audience] (for example, “the finance lead”) and paste the findings from the earlier prompts.
FAQ
Can Claude open my spreadsheet directly?
Not as a file. It works from what you paste, so export to CSV or copy the formulas. You keep control of what data leaves your sheet that way.
What should I audit first in a large workbook?
Start with the sheet that feeds everything else. Fixing fragile formulas there removes errors downstream before you spend time on the rest.
How do I audit a workbook with many tabs?
Go tab by tab and reuse the same formula-inventory prompt each time. Ask for the findings in the same format so you can merge them at the end.
Will this catch errors in my logic, not just syntax?
It can, if you explain what the sheet is supposed to do. Paste the intent, then ask the model to check each formula against that intent rather than just checking for broken references.
Do I need to paste real data?
No. Structure is what matters. Replace values with sample rows, keep the real headers and formulas, and the audit still holds.
More free prompts for Excel & Spreadsheets are waiting in the GuPrompt library.