Spreadsheet cleanup & reports

What the handoff contains

• The original provided data and a distinguishable cleaned view.
• Documented matching, formatting, and duplicate-handling rules.
• An exception log showing the source record, unresolved issue, and decision needed.
• A short review summary explaining what changed and how the agreed checks were performed.

Reports beyond the cleanup pilot can be scoped separately. Specify the question, grouping, date range, definitions, refresh expectations, and output format before work begins. A refreshable report or reusable automation is a separate deliverable.

Pilot scope and limits

$150 USD covers one provided spreadsheet or CSV with up to 2,000 rows and one round of changes covering the agreed work. Final scope, timing, and payment arrangements are confirmed after reviewing the inputs. No payment is taken on this site.

Additional files, larger datasets, complex formulas, recurring reporting, automation, and unusual file structures need a separate scope and quote. The pilot excludes accounting advice, financial certification, and changes in your live purchasing or ERP system. Your team approves unresolved records and any operational use.

When this work is useful

You have inconsistent names or formatting, suspected duplicates, amounts that do not tie out, or a report that takes repeated manual sorting. The first step is to distinguish a formatting problem from a decision that requires your business knowledge.

• A purchasing export needs consistent fields and a visible exception list.
• A vendor or item list needs agreed matching rules before records are combined.
• An operational summary needs clear definitions for included, excluded, and unresolved records.

This is a good fit when you can identify the source, explain the intended use, and provide a reviewer for business decisions. If no one can establish which source or matching rule is authoritative, begin by documenting those open questions. Tidying the layout will not resolve them.

What to bring

• A description of the file type, approximate row count, and number of relevant sheets. Describe the data before sending it.
• The intended result: for example, a review list by supplier or a reconciled view of order lines.
• Field definitions, date formats, currencies, units, and any approved reference list.
• Known problems, an example of a correct record, and the person who can decide ambiguous cases.

Use a redacted sample for initial scoping. Leave out passwords, full payment details, and unnecessary personal records. Agree on the transfer method and permitted tools before sharing working data.

Checks you can inspect

• Account for every original row and compare totals on the same basis.
• Preserve important IDs, check agreed formulas, and keep currencies or units distinct.
• Keep suspected duplicates traceable and return uncertain matches for your decision.

A zero reconciliation difference accounts for the supplied values. It does not certify that the underlying transactions are correct.

Inspect the approach

The fictional purchasing workbook preserves 30 source rows, with 23 ready, six held for review, and one duplicate excluded. It shows source preservation, explicit rules, and a reconciled handoff.

For the method, read how to reconcile a purchasing spreadsheet. To prepare your own inputs, use the cleanup project preparation guide.

Start with the file description

Send the file type, approximate row count, the problem, and the result you need. Include any deadline to consider. The next step is to confirm whether the pilot fits and what information is needed to scope it.

Discuss a spreadsheet project · Download the editable project brief