Spreadsheet dependency
How do I know when a spreadsheet has become a business risk?
Warning signs include one-person dependency, broken formulas, conflicting copies, sensitive data with weak access control, manual backups, or a file that stops important work when it fails. The more the business depends on it, the more it should be treated like a real system.
What to check
- Would the business stop if the file were unavailable?
- Is sensitive data protected properly?
- Can changes and errors be traced?