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I am terrified of the same things. I got given a validated financial model for something ages ago and found a major Excel fuck up in it. When I say validated, i

by cjk2 2y ago

I am terrified of the same things. I got given a validated financial model for something ages ago and found a major Excel fuck up in it. When I say validated, it was run through an expensive validation company who charged a lot of money and they didn't even notice it.

intended 2y ago
Oh I know that fear. You can’t trust anything anymore. It’s so easy to just miss something. A date function which is off. Missing something in excel is a big deal for a firm which is mean to do it - and it will always happen. And that’s the experts. I’m betting Someone was too tired, and uninterested and just followed the script. Hopefully that experience put the fear of God into some analyst and associate. Pretty much the only thing that I can rely on when it comes to modeling. Knowing that someone is as terrified as I am and has put the work in to not be embarrassed. And let’s agree - it is work. I remember seeing a date function used by another firm for the first time. It too me at least an hour to decipher it. It was cool, I learnt a lot. But it takes time. Regexes are cool, and I guess people will be learning a lot.
- BitwiseFool 2y ago
  Almost a decade ago I worked for a bank and in our little corner of the organization I was rapidly becoming the "Excel Guy". While I was happy to help people, the prospect of being pigeonholed into such a role terrified me and I switched jobs. That wasn't the only reason, but it was a major factor.
  - bongodongobob 2y ago
    This is why I pretend to not be good at Excel. Once word gets out, it becomes your job.
Chris2048 2y ago
Just to be clear, was the POC financial model implemented in Excel? If so, did it at least have embedded VB or was it all cell logic?
- cjk2 2y ago
  There was VBA and cell logic. The sheet was validated by a third party then someone ported it to a proper language (incorrectly). That model was not validated.
  - listenallyall 2y ago
    Why do you call it "a major Excel fuck up" when the error arose from the language port?
  - Chris2048 2y ago
    Did they not compare data input/output of the excel original versus the port?
    - cjk2 2y ago
      Nope

by cjk2 2y ago

intended 2y ago

Oh I know that fear. You can’t trust anything anymore. It’s so easy to just miss something. A date function which is off. Missing something in excel is a big deal for a firm which is mean to do it - and it will always happen. And that’s the experts. I’m betting Someone was too tired, and uninterested and just followed the script. Hopefully that experience put the fear of God into some analyst and associate. Pretty much the only thing that I can rely on when it comes to modeling. Knowing that someone is as terrified as I am and has put the work in to not be embarrassed. And let’s agree - it is work. I remember seeing a date function used by another firm for the first time. It too me at least an hour to decipher it. It was cool, I learnt a lot. But it takes time. Regexes are cool, and I guess people will be learning a lot.

BitwiseFool 2y ago
Almost a decade ago I worked for a bank and in our little corner of the organization I was rapidly becoming the "Excel Guy". While I was happy to help people, the prospect of being pigeonholed into such a role terrified me and I switched jobs. That wasn't the only reason, but it was a major factor.
- bongodongobob 2y ago
  This is why I pretend to not be good at Excel. Once word gets out, it becomes your job.

Chris2048 2y ago

Just to be clear, was the POC financial model implemented in Excel? If so, did it at least have embedded VB or was it all cell logic?

cjk2 2y ago
There was VBA and cell logic. The sheet was validated by a third party then someone ported it to a proper language (incorrectly). That model was not validated.
- listenallyall 2y ago
  Why do you call it "a major Excel fuck up" when the error arose from the language port?
- Chris2048 2y ago
  Did they not compare data input/output of the excel original versus the port?
  - cjk2 2y ago
    Nope