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  John Thompson

  • 22 oktober 2019 13:23

  - switch to spreadsheets
  - only input data at lowest scale level you need for that number
  - use color coding for cells (input, formula, cross tab reference, plugs, errors)
  - update cell color for when cell has been input and locked (i.e. yellow is our still to be updated, orange has been updated and locked)
  - make use of locking functionality 
  - build a single checks tab, that pulls in any checks across the spreadsheet so you don't have to review each tab
  - use conditional formatting on the checks to easily highlight issues
  - use conditional formatting on plugs to ensure you don't miss the plug next time or plug a different number 
  - only input/import YTD and let spreadsheet calculate change for QTD number
  - create a notes tab so you can link to note header
  - create calculation to calculate row name (i.e. "Net income" vs "Net loss" vs "Net income (loss)" and link to table
  - create calculation to calculate "increase" or "decrease"

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  Alex Pabellon

  • 22 oktober 2019 13:22

  Timing is everything. We haven't done a full scale redesign but we have redesigned significant portions of some workbooks. It should probably be done regularly and especially if there has been turnover or significant changes in the disclosures. Start the process soon after filing and with the new project so there's no risk of losing functionality. Get buy-in from management and coworkers. Consider whether the workbook needs to have versatility. Take a good look at each workbook section and the document sections it supports. Does the document tend to change a lot? Do the people who work with those sections tend to favor offline spreadsheets? If so then maybe the workbook can only be used as a way to easily paste data that are mostly in their final form. No sense in building a lot of functionality into a workbook section that completely changes every month or quarter. Do the data touch several sections and is XBRL involved? If so then it's possible that you need to have chain linking in mind, build a data "paste area" to paste values from your offline Excel, then that gets picked up by a vlookup or similar on the WDesk workbook into an area that in turn gets linked to the document sections. Are there multiple users than need to be in the workbook at the same time? If so then consider breaking up the output of a single offline spreadsheet into multiple workbook sections so that each user can work their section without having to wait for someone to share changes. I agree with Ben to enable spreadsheets for better functionality. The last thing is to maintain the workbook well. Avoid impromptu links and multiple iterations of the same information. Have one section that's just for dates, period names, days in the quarter, days in the YTD period, etc. Separate one-off KPI's or information that's always changing from information or presentations that are fairly constant. Things like that tend to keep us honest. Good luck!

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  Ben Andrews

  • 22 oktober 2019 13:21

  I don't have any documented design principles to share, but if you are doing a redesign, i'd highly recommend switching to spreadsheets as part of the effort.  there are a few functions still missing from spreadsheets (data validations, conditional formatting), but the pros are significant (crosstab formulas, fast!, opens in separate browser tab for easier linking, cell-level audit history, authorship overlays, data sync is instantaneous, and more).  And I expect data validations and conditional formatting to be added in the near future...  
  
  Also, you would set up data differently in a spreadsheet than you would in a workbook because you have better summation options with ss.  For example, you can run sumif or lookup formulas across tabs in a spreadsheet, giving you the ability to have pure data tabs apart from summary oriented tabs that you would link into a document.  I find that i use ss almost exactly the same way I use Excel, and try to be more "database" minded in the way that I set them up (where applicable).

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  John Ng

  • 22 oktober 2019 13:22

  I would be very careful with how you approach data import, linking and formatting of amounts in your workbook design. If you are moving between different scales (thousands, millions, billions) and applying any additional formulas or rounding, I would take this opportunity to simplify, or you'll encounter future complexity (for both future workbook AND spreadsheets). We're still in process for determining the best work-around for flow of data (ie: sections dedicated to actual, and separate section dedicated to formatting/rounding/calculations).

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  Chad Zenisek

  • 4 februari 2020 15:42

  I would love to see if the community could develop some best practices as a quick reference document that we could easily distribute to Wdesk users. Or even just a forum post where individual practices could be described, and then up-voted or down-voted, and the most up-voted practices would become the "best practices."

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  Sam Norman

  • 23 maart 2023 14:41

  Our team is considering a workbook overhaul to remove unused legacy data and simplify data inputs. This post is a bit dated, so curious if anyone else out there has done a "clean up" in their wdesk workbooks more recently and if there are any new suggestions? 

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