Formula Audit XL vs Excel Inquire
Excel Inquire is Microsoft’s own auditing add-in, and when it is available it is genuinely useful: a workbook analysis report, relationship diagrams, and the separate Spreadsheet Compare tool for diffing two versions. The catch is availability. Inquire ships only with Office Professional Plus and Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise, so anyone on a Business, Personal or standalone licence cannot turn it on.
Formula Audit XL works on any Windows edition of Excel 2016 or later, and it adds the parts Inquire is thin on: interactive precedent and dependent trees, a dedicated inconsistent-formula check, a named-range audit, and a one-click Model Check. If you already have Inquire and only need version comparison, keep it. If you want a full in-Excel audit on any edition, with free browser tools to start, Formula Audit XL fills the gap.
Formula Audit XL vs Excel Inquire
| Formula Audit XL | Excel Inquire | |
|---|---|---|
| Who makes it | An independent add-in built for finance model auditing | Microsoft, bundled with specific Office editions |
| Availability | Works with Excel for Windows 2016, 2019, 2021 and 365 on any edition | Only in Office Professional Plus and Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise |
| Cost | Free tier + Individual €49/year (lifetime €129) + Team seat pricing | Included free, but only if you have a qualifying enterprise edition |
| Workbook health check | Model Check: scorecard across errors, circulars, hardcodes, dead cells, deep nesting and more | Workbook analysis report listing formulas, errors, links and warnings |
| Version comparison | Not the focus; built for in-Excel auditing of a single model | Spreadsheet Compare diffs two workbooks cell by cell |
| Cross-sheet tracing | Interactive drill-down precedent and dependent trees (Ctrl+Q) | Static workbook and worksheet relationship diagrams |
| Inconsistent-formula detection | Flags the cell that breaks a row or column pattern (Ctrl+Shift+I), plus a free web scanner | Not a dedicated check; surfaced indirectly via the analysis report |
| Named-range audit | Flags broken, error and unused names, with in-list deletion (Ctrl+Shift+J) | Lists names as part of the workbook analysis |
| Platforms | Excel for Windows only (2016, 2019, 2021 and 365) | Excel for Windows only, enterprise editions |
When Excel Inquire is the better choice
- Inquire is free and already installed if you run Office Professional Plus or Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise, so there is nothing extra to buy or deploy.
- Spreadsheet Compare is a capable cell-by-cell diff between two workbook versions, which is useful when you need to see exactly what changed.
- Being a Microsoft component, it clears internal software-approval processes without a third-party review.
Why teams switch to Formula Audit XL
- Inquire is locked to enterprise editions; many people on Microsoft 365 Business, Personal or standalone Excel cannot enable it at all. Formula Audit XL works on any Windows edition.
- The interactive precedent and dependent trees and the inconsistent-formula check go beyond Inquire's static reports and diagrams.
- Free browser tools let anyone run the core checks without an enterprise licence or an install.
- A one-click Model Check turns the audit into a single health score rather than a static analysis report you read through.
Frequently asked questions
Is Excel Inquire not enough on its own?
For basic workbook analysis and comparing two versions, Inquire is useful and free, if you have a qualifying edition. It is weaker on interactive tracing and has no dedicated inconsistent-formula check. Formula Audit XL adds drill-down precedent and dependent trees, a consistency scan, a named-range audit and a one-click health report.
Why can't I find Inquire in my Excel?
Inquire ships only with Office Professional Plus and Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise. On Microsoft 365 Business, Personal or standalone Excel it is not available. Formula Audit XL runs on any Windows edition of Excel 2016 or later.
Does Formula Audit XL compare two workbook versions like Spreadsheet Compare?
No. Version diffing is Spreadsheet Compare's strength. Formula Audit XL focuses on auditing a single model: tracing, health checks, consistency and named-range audits.
Is it free like Inquire?
It has a free tier and free browser tools, with paid plans from €49/year. Inquire is free but only inside enterprise Office editions, so the practical cost depends on your licence.
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