In this presentation, CPA and author of Microsoft 365 Excel for Dummies, David H. Ringstrom explores practical methods for creating and maintaining audit trails in Excel. You’ll learn how to document worksheet formulas, identify and review changes made to workbooks, protect worksheets and workbook structures, and track revisions using both built-in Excel tools and Power Query. The session focuses on techniques that improve transparency, accountability, and confidence in spreadsheet-based reporting.
 
David demonstrates every technique at least twice: first on a PowerPoint slide with numbered steps, and then live in Excel for Windows using the subscription-based Microsoft 365 version. Differences between Microsoft 365 and earlier perpetual versions of Excel (2021, 2019, and earlier) are clearly identified during the session and reinforced in the accompanying handouts. Participants also receive an Excel workbook containing many of the examples used in the presentation.
 
Who should attend:
Accounting and finance professionals, auditors, and Excel users who need to track changes, document formulas, and strengthen audit controls in their workbooks.
 
Topics typically covered:
 
• Cleaning accounting reports in Power Query by removing blanks, merges, and missing data.
 
• Protecting a worksheet to ensure users are limited to changing only specific areas of a worksheet.
 
• Reviewing Inquire menu options available to Excel users that have an Enterprise license.
 
• Understanding data transformations by stepping through Power Query and renaming individual steps.
 
• Protecting workbooks to prevent users from renaming, hiding, unhiding, or otherwise affecting worksheets.
 
• Using Conditional Formatting to identify unlocked cells for data entry.
 
• Turning on Excel’s hidden auditing tools (if your license supports it).
 
• Reviewing cell edits when AutoSave is enabled in OneDrive or SharePoint.
 
Learning objectives:
 
• Recall where to restore the Track Changes command within the Quick Access Toolbar customization screen.
 
• State what the FORMULATEXT function displays when you reference a cell that does not contain a formula.
 
• State which versions of Excel offer the Inquire add-in.