Direct answer
How clean should an Excel model be before upload?
You do not need to fit a fixed template. Make worksheet purpose, timeline, currency, units, actual versus forecast cutover, and major financial line items clear enough to review. Source formulas, external links, and custom labels still require human judgment.
- Keep the active .xlsx version
- Label each worksheet's purpose
- State currency and unit scale
- Review the imported structure before using it
01Review structure
Worksheets and timelines need to be interpretable
- 01
Name worksheets by purpose
Use names such as Revenue Forecast, Headcount, P&L, and Cash Flow instead of Sheet1 or Final v7. Mark archived or unused sheets.
Common red flag: The same metric appears on several sheets without a clear source.
- 02
Keep period labels complete and ordered
Monthly, quarterly, and annual models can all work, but each block should follow one sequence. Explain mixed labels such as 2025A, 2026E, Q1, and individual months.
- 03
Mark the actual-to-forecast cutover
Label Actual, Budget, Forecast, or A/E and confirm there is no overlap or gap between the latest actual period and first forecast period.
02Review numbers
Currency, units, and core line items should not require guessing
- 04
State currency and unit scale
Write TWD, USD, or another currency in the header or assumptions area and state whether values are units, thousands, or millions. Label each sheet if scales differ.
- 05
Connect revenue drivers to totals
Make price, customers, usage, projects, or milestone payments comparable with total revenue. If the model only contains totals, add the primary growth assumption.
- 06
Separate costs, headcount, and cash
Distinguish cost of sales, operating expenses, payroll, capital expenditure, and one-time payments. Separate revenue recognition from cash collection when timing differs.
03Trace sources
Formulas, external links, and versions need a trail
- 07
Check formula errors and hardcoded overrides
Search for #REF!, #DIV/0!, and #VALUE! errors. Confirm important totals have not been replaced by temporary hardcoded values, or add a note when a formula is intentionally disconnected.
- 08
Confirm external links and file version
Check whether formulas point to local files, cloud workbooks, or moved paths. Preserve the source workbook and label the version being imported with a date or version name.
After upload, review before use
Confirm detected worksheets, periods, currency, and units. Then review whether revenue, costs, headcount, cash, and funding items were placed correctly. Leave uncertain items unresolved until you can verify them.
Compare total revenue, total cost, ending cash, and runway with the source model. Import creates a reviewable draft; it does not replace financial model review.
What Tessly can help with
Identify the structure, then let you confirm it
Tessly can identify worksheets, periods, currency, unit scale, and common financial line items in an .xlsx workbook, then create a forecast draft for review. Multi-sheet workbooks, Traditional Chinese labels, and custom structures may still need manual confirmation.
Tessly does not guarantee that source formulas, external links, classifications, or financial assumptions are correct and does not replace accounting, finance, or investment review.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does an Excel financial model need to be perfectly cleaned before upload?
No. Clear worksheet purpose, timeline, currency, and units make the imported draft easier to review, but you do not need to rebuild the model.
Can Tessly work with multiple worksheets?
Yes, but review each sheet's purpose, time range, and potential duplicate totals after import.
Can Tessly identify Traditional Chinese financial labels?
Tessly can identify common Traditional Chinese labels. Company abbreviations, industry terms, and unusual structures may still need manual confirmation.
Does Tessly verify that every Excel formula is correct?
No. Tessly can organize the imported structure but does not guarantee formulas, external links, classifications, or assumptions.
Next step
Preserve the source file, then start from a reviewable draft
After import, read the startup runway and burn rate guide or complete the 12-question pre-share checklist.