NAFEMS Spreadsheet Management Survey Report

Simulation Data Management provides an automated electronic framework to assist the analyst in tracking the information objects created during the process simulation and allows past simulation objects to be readily located. What was not clear at the outset was whether the data managed by such a system should include the results of interactive authoring tools such as spreadsheets.

This survey was conducted to gain an overview of the extent to which spreadsheets are used in Product Engineering and the importance of the information they may hold to the overall process.

The survey established that the use of spreadsheets is widespread and the information that they generate is of critical importance to many areas of product engineering.

Section	Page Number
1.1	Background	1
1.2	Survey rationale	2
1.3	Survey response rate	3
1.4	Changes over the period following the survey.	4
2	Findings – spreadsheet usage	5
2.1	Nature of spreadsheet use	5
2.2	Description of most critical spreadsheet	6
2.3	Reason for use	6
2.4	Changes in level of use	7
2.5	Number of users	8
2.6	Frequency of use	9
2.7	Life expectancy of spreadsheets	10
2.8	Company support for spreadsheet use.	11
3	Findings – spreadsheet authoring	13
3.1	Authors as a proportion of staff	13
3.2	Data and process management context	14
3.3	Regulatory and compliance issues arising from spreadsheet authoring.	15
3.4	Satisfaction	16
4	Findings – spreadsheet deployment	17
4.1	Extent of sharing	17
4.2	Means of sharing and versioning.	18
4.3	Web-based spreadsheet tools.	19
4.4	Approaches to protecting intellectual property.	20
4.5	Satisfaction with the protection of intellectual property.	21
4.6	Overview of spreadsheet management in place	21
5	Findings – guidelines and regulation	23
5.1	Reasons for the lack of formal management of shared spreadsheets.	23
5.2	Other problems with spreadsheet use in respondent’s company.	24
5.3	Potential for NAFEMS involvement	24
6	Discussion of spreadsheet usage	25
6.1	Training and discipline for spreadsheet authors	25
6.2	Determine the extent of spreadsheet usage and assess the risk	25
6.3	Dealing with shared spreadsheets using advanced Excel features	25
6.4	Dealing with shared spreadsheets using an SDM solution	26
6.5	Dealing with shared spreadsheets using a model deployment platform	27
6.6	The evolving scene of spreadsheet technology	28
7	Conclusions	29
8	References	31
9	Glossary of Acronyms	33
10	Professional simulation engineer competencies	35

Document Details

Reference	R0132
Author	Bartholomew. P
Language	English
Audiences	Manager Analyst Developer
Type	Publication
Date	21st February 2022
Region	Global

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Spreadsheet Management Survey Report

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