When validating an Excel spreadsheet with manual calculations, is there any convention for the number of decimal places the manual calcs should go to. Using too many will make the task cumbersome, to little could cause rounding errors that won’t match the spreadsheet output. Would two more decimals than the final result be sufficient.
Any ideas?
Ask yourself how you use the data from the spreadsheet.
If the spreadsheet displays as 21.438435690878968956897 but you only use 4dp then your manual calculation only needs to do the same. If you use data to 21dp then you will need to validate to this level.
Monkey
[quote=Validation Monkey]Ask yourself how you use the data from the spreadsheet.
If the spreadsheet displays as 21.438435690878968956897 but you only use 4dp then your manual calculation only needs to do the same. If you use data to 21dp then you will need to validate to this level.
Monkey[/quote]
there are different approaches for rounding off numerical data for example for weight 3decimal points for voulmes 1 decimal point for pcs / Nos round figure etc. Variance by rounding off data NMT 0.01% of actual value.
Common sense prevails.
You are required to go to the lowest significant figure. I.e. to a level that will only have an acceptable influence on the impact/substance/consequence/weight and or magnitude of your calculation outcome.
If this cannot be achieved then the spreadsheet will not be validatable.
Regards
ALex