If your Excel work takes longer than it should, it probably is.
An Excel spreadsheet rarely becomes complex all at once—it evolves that way over time. What starts as a simple, focused tool built to solve a specific problem gradually expands as new requirements are added. Columns get appended, formulas are copied and modified, and additional sheets are created to handle edge cases or avoid disrupting existing logic. Each change is usually small and reasonable on its own, but over time these incremental additions create layers of logic that were never part of a cohesive design. What's worse numerous change authors have added their own conlications.
As the file grows, so does its complexity and size. Formulas become more nested, data may be duplicated across sheets, and temporary fixes turn into permanent workarounds. Performance can begin to slow, errors become harder to trace, and fewer people fully understand how everything fits together. What was once a quick, efficient solution gradually turns into a fragile, time-consuming system—one that continues to function, but at a growing cost in time, reliability, and maintainability.
In the following article I will identify 5 common problems and simple fixes.
Sign #1 – You’re Repeating the Same Steps Every Day
If updating the workbook involves copying, pasting, reformatting, or repeating the same steps over and over, there’s a strong chance you’re wasting valuable time—and introducing unnecessary risk along the way. Manual processes not only slow things down, but they also increase the likelihood of errors, inconsistencies, and missed updates. What feels like a “quick fix” in the moment often becomes a recurring task that compounds over time, especially as the workbook grows and more people rely on it.
This is where Excel and VBA become incredibly powerful together. A skilled developer can take advantage of Excel’s built-in capabilities and use VBA to automate repetitive tasks, enforce consistency, and streamline entire workflows. Tasks that once required multiple manual steps can often be reduced to a single button click—or run entirely in the background. From data cleanup and formatting to reporting and complex logic, automation transforms the workbook from a manual tool into an efficient, reliable system that saves time, reduces errors, and allows you to focus on higher-value work
Sign #2 – Your File Is Slow, Freezing, or Crashing
A client of mine was managing several concurrent projects and had some really impressive dashboards that I helped automate. He called me with a serous issue. A spreadsheet that I had not seen before has "slowed to a crawl" he asked "can you help" I said, "I can certainly try". I revewed the workbook and it was not visually small; it wasnt by any means huge. I knew something was very wrong. it took a few minutes to find the culprit or culprits in this case. Millions of unused cells with conditional formatting. Its called spreadsheet bloat. and it sneaks up on uncautious users. its impact can be.
Excel may become unresponsive or crash under heavy load Especially likely if combined with:
- Volatile formulas
- Large datasets
- VBA processes
The client was a senior guy and a bit embarrassed. I told him it was no big deal as "I see it all the time". I cleaned it up and made some suggestions.
Sign #3 – Only One Person Understands the Spreadsheet
It’s known as “key person risk,” and it can be disastrous. One of my clients had a spreadsheet that calculated required payments to partners in a successful business venture. It had an Excel front end and an Access backend, with payments in excess of $1 million. A recently retired gentleman built it. His replacement was in an auto accident and wouldn’t be returning for weeks. Understandably, the partners were eager to receive their money.
They handed the system over to me, and it was extremely complex. Guess what? Minimal documentation and nearly zero annotation in the code. It was a nightmare. I rewrote it to simplify the structure and carefully documented and annotated every section. I’m sure the next person will thank me.
This is where well-written, organized, and properly documented code becomes critical. Clear structure and meaningful comments don’t just help the original developer—they protect the business. Good documentation allows others to quickly understand how a system works, reduces onboarding time, and makes future updates far less risky. Without it, even small changes can introduce errors, and critical systems become dependent on a single person. With it, the work becomes maintainable, transferable, and far more resilient over time.
Sign #4 – You’re Constantly Fixing Errors
Errors can arise from many different sources, but proper validation can go a long way toward minimizing them. When a user enters input that falls outside of expected parameters, does a clear warning message appear to guide them back on track? If an expected file is missing or not in the correct format, does the system alert the user with a clear message—something like, “Hey, we have a problem”?
Robust validation isn’t just about preventing bad data; it’s about creating a controlled, predictable environment where issues are caught early and handled gracefully. Instead of allowing errors to cascade and cause larger problems downstream, good validation stops issues at the source. This can include checking user inputs, confirming file paths exist, validating data formats, and ensuring required fields are completed before processing continues.
When validation is built into a system properly, it improves reliability, reduces troubleshooting time, and gives users confidence that the process is working as intended. Just as importantly, it turns potential points of failure into opportunities for clear communication—helping users understand what went wrong and how to fix it, rather than leaving them guessing.
Sign #5 – It Works… But It’s Painful
When you ask about it, you’re told, “We’ve always done it this way.” At that point, it may be time to step back and look at the bigger picture. Just because something works doesn’t mean it’s working well. If a process is slow, cumbersome, or frustrating to use, it’s costing time and efficiency every single day.
Instead of accepting the pain as part of the process, ask: how can we improve this? Can it be automated? Simplified? Streamlined? Small improvements can have a big impact over time. The goal shouldn’t just be for something to work—it should work efficiently, consistently, and without unnecessary friction.
Processes don’t have to be painful. With the right approach, they can be refined into systems that are faster, cleaner, and far easier to maintain.
What Good Looks Like
A well-designed Excel process should be fast, reliable, and easy to use. It should not rely on a single person to maintain or understand how it works. Instead, it should be structured in a way that allows others to step in, make updates, and trust the system without fear of breaking it.
Conclusion
Most Excel problems are fixable with the right approach. Small improvements—whether it’s better structure, automation, or cleaner logic—can lead to significant gains in performance, accuracy, and efficiency. Over time, these incremental improvements transform a fragile, time-consuming process into a system that works for you, not against you.
If you’re dealing with any of these issues, feel free to reach out—many Excel problems can be fixed faster than you might think.