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This article explains how to use the Excel Inquire add-in for deep workbook auditing, risk analysis, and troubleshooting, so that finance, audit, and analytics professionals can systematically detect hidden errors, broken links, and structural issues in complex spreadsheets.
1. What the Inquire Add-In Is and When You Should Use It
The Inquire add-in is a built-in Excel component available in specific enterprise editions of Microsoft 365 and Office Professional Plus that exposes a dedicated Inquire tab for workbook auditing, structural analysis, and file comparison.
Inquire is designed for scenarios where a workbook has become mission-critical or too complex to understand by inspection alone. It combines workbook analysis, relationship diagrams, cell-level tracing, file comparison, and cleanup tools into one ribbon tab, helping you reduce spreadsheet risk and document the logic of your model more rigorously.
1.1 Editions and prerequisites
The Inquire add-in is only available in certain editions such as Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise and Office Professional Plus (2013 and later). It does not ship with all consumer or small-business SKUs, and it is not available in Office on Windows RT.
In corporate environments, access may be further restricted by administrators using policy, so you might not see Inquire even if your license technically includes it.
1.2 Typical use cases for workbook auditing with Inquire
- Auditing financial models before external reporting or sign-off.
- Reviewing inherited workbooks where the design logic is unclear.
- Comparing different versions of the same file to understand what changed.
- Finding broken links, unused ranges, excessive formatting, and other risk indicators.
- Documenting workbook structure for internal controls and compliance.
Note : Inquire is a workbook-level diagnostic tool. It does not prevent errors by itself; it reveals patterns and risks that you still need to interpret using spreadsheet and domain knowledge.
2. Enabling the Inquire Add-In and Locating the Inquire Tab
Because Inquire is disabled by default, you must activate it as a COM add-in before you can start workbook auditing from Excel.
2.1 Step-by-step: Turn on the Inquire add-in
- Open Excel.
- Select File > Options.
- In the Excel Options dialog, select Add-ins.
- At the bottom, set Manage to COM Add-ins, then click Go.
- In the COM Add-Ins list, check Inquire Add-in.
- Click OK. Excel may require a restart.
After activation, an Inquire tab appears on the ribbon, giving access to workbook analysis, relationship diagrams, file comparison, cleanup actions, and password management.
2.2 If you do not see Inquire in the COM Add-ins list
- Your Office edition might not include it (for example, certain consumer editions do not ship with Inquire).
- Your organization might have disabled it through Group Policy.
- You might be using Excel on a platform where Inquire is not supported.
Note : If the Inquire Add-in entry is missing from the COM Add-ins list, it cannot be enabled from the client side. In managed environments, contact IT; in unmanaged environments, verify that you are running an edition that includes Inquire.
3. Workbook Analysis: Core Audit Report for Complex Files
The Workbook Analysis feature is the central tool for workbook auditing with Inquire. It scans the active file and generates a structured report that summarizes formulas, links, hidden elements, ranges, and potential problems.
3.1 Running a Workbook Analysis
- Open the workbook you want to audit.
- Go to the Inquire tab.
- Click Workbook Analysis.
- If prompted, save the workbook.
- Wait while Inquire processes the file. For very large or complex workbooks this can take noticeable time.
The result is an analysis window that categorizes structural and content information, such as total formula counts, hidden sheets, linked workbooks, data connections, array formulas, and formulas returning errors.
3.2 Understanding Workbook Analysis categories
The Workbook Analysis report is organized into several categories that you can expand to inspect detailed lists. Typical high-level categories include:
- Summary – High-level statistics about workbook structure and contents.
- Workbook – Subcategories such as workbook size, number of sheets, hidden sheets, and protection settings.
- Formulas – Information on formula distribution, array formulas, formulas with errors, and formulas containing constants.
- Cells – Attributes such as locked cells, cells with validation, or cells containing errors.
- Ranges – Named ranges, unused names, overlapping ranges, and other range-level objects.
- Warnings – Flags for risky patterns such as hidden cells with formulas, inconsistent formulas, and links to external workbooks.
| Category | What it reveals | Why it matters in auditing |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | Global workbook statistics (sheets, formulas, errors, links). | Quick risk profile of the workbook’s complexity and potential trouble spots. |
| Formulas | Counts of formula types, array formulas, formulas with constants or errors. | Helps identify inconsistent logic and hard-coded values in otherwise formula-driven areas. |
| Cells | Locked, hidden, validated, and error-containing cells. | Shows whether protection and validation are used effectively to control input and prevent corruption. |
| Ranges | Named ranges, unused names, overlapping or misaligned ranges. | Highlights technical debt and possible mistakes in named-range management. |
| Warnings | Flags for unusual or risky configurations. | Prioritizes issues that often correlate with material spreadsheet errors. |
3.3 Exporting the analysis report
You can export Workbook Analysis results into a separate Excel file for documentation, sign-off, or deeper analysis by selecting the export option in the analysis window. The exported file is particularly useful in audit trails and change-control documentation.
Note : If any sheet has more than 100 million cells in its used range, Inquire cannot process the workbook and will display an error. In that case, you must reduce the used range or split the workbook before analysis.
4. Relationship Diagrams: Workbook, Worksheet, and Cell-Level Views
Beyond static reports, Inquire provides relationship diagrams that visually map how data flows across workbooks, worksheets, and cells. These diagrams are especially helpful when you are trying to understand legacy models built by others.
4.1 Workbook Relationship
The Workbook Relationship command builds a diagram of external links to other workbooks and supported data sources such as Access databases, XML, or HTML files.
- Each node represents a workbook or external source.
- Arrows indicate the direction of data dependency.
- Hovering or selecting nodes shows file paths and last modified dates (when available).
This is highly valuable when you must:
- Locate critical upstream data sources.
- Identify circular or redundant link chains.
- Assess impact when a source workbook is changed or retired.
4.2 Worksheet Relationship
The Worksheet Relationship command focuses on links between sheets within the same workbook. It shows which sheets feed calculations in other sheets and which are primarily outputs.
Use this to distinguish between:
- Input or staging sheets.
- Calculation engines or intermediate models.
- Reporting and dashboard sheets.
4.3 Cell Relationship
The Cell Relationship command drills into precedents and dependents for specific cells or ranges in a selected worksheet.
- It shows which cells feed a selected cell and which cells depend on it.
- Diagrams are useful when multiple layers of references make tracing by hand impractical.
- You can click nodes to navigate back to the cell in the worksheet.
Note : Relationship diagrams can become visually dense in heavily linked models. Use filtering options, zoom, and layout adjustments to focus on critical flows rather than trying to interpret the full graph at once.
5. Compare Files: Robust Workbook Comparison and Change Tracking
One of the most powerful workbook auditing capabilities Inquire provides is cell-by-cell file comparison via the Compare Files command, which leverages the Spreadsheet Compare engine.
5.1 When to use Compare Files
- Validating that a new version of a model differs from the previous version only in expected areas.
- Reviewing consultant-delivered changes against the prior baseline.
- Merging separate edits from different team members and understanding conflicts.
- Confirming that formula changes have not inadvertently altered key calculations.
5.2 Running a comparison
- Open both workbooks you want to compare.
- Go to the Inquire tab and click Compare Files.
- Select the “old” workbook and the “new” workbook in the dialog.
- Run the comparison to launch Spreadsheet Compare with both files loaded.
The results window highlights differences by category such as changed formulas, changed values, added or deleted rows/columns, and formatting changes.
| Change type | Example | Audit implication |
|---|---|---|
| Formula changes | =SUM(B5:D5) changed to =SUM(B5:E5). | Indicates corrections or intentional logic updates; must be validated against requirements. |
| Value changes | Assumption cells or scenario inputs updated. | Impacts outputs but not structure; may relate to periodic updates. |
| Formatting changes | New conditional formats or number formats applied. | Typically low risk, but aggressive formatting may hide issues such as negative values. |
| Inserted/deleted rows | New categories or accounts added. | Check that dependent ranges and formulas still cover the intended areas. |
5.3 Practical review workflow using Compare Files
- Document the version pair you are comparing (e.g., “Budget_Model_v1.3 vs v1.4”).
- Run Compare Files and export the difference summary.
- Filter the result to structural changes (formulas, inserted/deleted rows, names) before reviewing cosmetic changes.
- Walk through high-risk areas with the model owner or developer to confirm intent.
- Attach the exported comparison report to your change-control records.
Note : In many installations, Spreadsheet Compare can also be launched directly from Windows without opening Excel, but using the Inquire tab ensures that both workbooks are correctly associated with the current Excel instance.
6. Cleaning Excess Cell Formatting and Improving Performance
Inquire includes a Clean Excess Cell Formatting command that removes formatting from cells beyond the actual used range of a worksheet. This can reduce file size and improve performance for workbooks that grew organically over time.
6.1 Why excess formatting is a problem
- Applying formatting or conditional formatting to entire rows or columns can mark hundreds of thousands of cells as “used.”
- Large used ranges increase memory and recalculation overhead.
- Files become slower to open, save, and calculate.
6.2 Using Inquire to clean up
- Back up the workbook before cleanup.
- Open the workbook and go to the Inquire tab.
- Use Clean Excess Cell Formatting (the wording can vary slightly by version).
- Apply cleanup to the active sheet or all sheets, depending on the option presented.
Note : Clean-up operations may remove formatting beyond the last used cell. If you rely on column-wide or row-wide conditional formatting, re-validate your rules after running this command.
7. Workbook Passwords and Protected Files
When auditing multiple password-protected workbooks, repeatedly typing passwords can slow you down and increase the chance of mistakes.
The Inquire tab includes a Workbook Passwords tool that lets you securely store passwords used by its analysis and comparison operations so that protected workbooks can be opened automatically during audits.
Use this feature in accordance with your organization’s security policy. In high-control environments, central password vaults or dedicated key management processes may be preferred instead.
8. Building a Practical Workbook Auditing Checklist with Inquire
To use Inquire systematically rather than ad hoc, integrate it into a repeatable auditing checklist for any high-impact Excel model.
8.1 Example Inquire-based audit checklist
| Step | Inquire tool | Key questions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Workbook Analysis | How complex is this workbook? How many formulas, links, and hidden elements exist? |
| 2 | Workbook Relationship | Which external sources feed this model? Are any of them obsolete or unreliable? |
| 3 | Worksheet Relationship | Which sheets are inputs, calculation engines, and outputs? |
| 4 | Cell Relationship | Do critical outputs depend on unexpected or fragile cells? |
| 5 | Compare Files | What changed between this version and the previous one? Do the changes align with requirements? |
| 6 | Clean Excess Cell Formatting | Can we safely reduce file size and improve performance without affecting logic? |
8.2 Integrating Inquire into governance and documentation
- Attach exported Workbook Analysis and Compare Files reports to change tickets.
- Define thresholds (e.g., maximum count of formulas with errors) that trigger remediation.
- Use relationship diagrams to support onboarding documentation for new model owners.
- Run periodic analyses as part of quarterly or annual internal control reviews.
Note : Inquire should complement, not replace, manual review and independent recalculation of critical outputs. Use it to focus your inspection effort on areas most likely to contain defects or design flaws.
FAQ
Why do I not see the Inquire tab even after enabling the add-in?
If the Inquire add-in is missing from the COM Add-ins list, your Office edition might not include it or your administrator may have disabled it. In either case, the tab cannot be activated from Excel alone, and you must either upgrade your license or request that IT enable it.
Can I use Inquire to audit workbooks stored in SharePoint or OneDrive?
Yes. As long as you can open the workbook in the desktop version of Excel that supports Inquire, you can run Workbook Analysis, relationship diagrams, and file comparison. For versioned libraries, it is common to download or open specific versions, save them locally, and then use Compare Files for controlled auditing.
Is Inquire available in Excel for Mac or Excel Online?
Inquire is a Windows desktop feature tied to specific enterprise editions of Office. It is not available in Excel for Mac or Excel Online. For those environments, you must rely on other auditing strategies, such as formula auditing tools, add-ins, or exporting to a supported Windows environment when possible.
Does Inquire fix errors automatically?
No. Inquire is diagnostic only. It highlights patterns and potential risks, such as formulas returning errors or complex external links. You still need to interpret the findings, adjust formulas, redesign ranges, or update data sources manually or with other tools.
How often should I run Workbook Analysis on a critical model?
For high-impact financial or operational models, it is practical to run Workbook Analysis at each major release, before external reporting cycles, and after significant structural changes. Some organizations incorporate it into quarterly internal control procedures to detect uncontrolled complexity growth over time.