Export/Import Add-in (for financial models)

Shades all inter-sheet links with RED (Links-out) or BLUE (Links-in) in the whole workbook.

by Anurag Kushwaha
Financial modeller & VBA ExpertFollow

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Description
The FAST modelling Export-Import Add-in is one of a kind add-in for identifying and tracking cross sheet calculations (popularly known as Exports / Imports or Links-out / Links-in). If you are a financial modeller builder/reviewer, this add-in is an absolute must.

This add-in automatically shades all exports and imports throughout the whole workbook with a click of a button. Contains variety of options like
-Sheet selection
-Highlight options
-Highlight styles
-Erasable shading
-Choice of Shading colors

New ribbon options added in the latest version.

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Background
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Your business relies on information in spreadsheets and financial models to make key business decisions. But Errors happen easily; more so if a business is not using standards and procedural controls.

In financial modelling terminology - A line item that is used on / referenced by another worksheet in the model is called an Export. The dependents of an Export is an Import. F.A.S.T, a fastest growing best practice modelling standards, says to "Mark exports with red font and imports with blue font".

Why marking export is crucial?

a. they tend to be significant line items on the sheet and the immediate visual identification of that is useful; and
b. deletion of these line items is going to cause repercussions elsewhere in the model that will have to be managed.
c. Further, this helps when you need to understand a model structure and gets you the answer for questions like which cells flow to output sheet, which are inputs, which are local calculations, etc.

What you lose if you don't have export/import markings?

- You loose ability to identify important lines within a sheet
- Ability to know whether the calculation block is redundant or not.
- No idea if a calculation is present in the same sheet or other sheet.
- No Information about incorrect or missing line-linkages across sheets.
- Ability to spot blank cell references across sheets, which are difficult to find, and pose a significant risk to the model.

This add-in is like an X-Ray Report of the financial model, highlighting important lines and revealing the modelling structure.

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Installation instructions:
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- 1) Open Excel and Go to File->Excel Options->Add-ins.
- 2) In Manage drop-down select Excel Add-ins and press Go.
- 3) Now go to Browse and navigate to the Add-in file. Press Open and then Ok.

This should bring up the FL Add-in Tab in the Ribbon.

This Best Practice includes
.xlam Excel add-in (Compatible with Windows Excel 2010, 2013 and 2016 versions)