Check broken, error & unused named ranges in your Excel file, free.
Drop a workbook below. Formula Audit XL lists every defined name that is broken, returns an error, or is never used, with its scope and reference. No data leaves your machine.
Drop an .xlsx file here, or click to choose
Runs entirely in your browser. Your file is never uploaded. It stays on your machine.
What this tool checks
Defined names make formulas readable, but they rot quietly. A name that pointed at a deleted column, or one that nobody references anymore, sits there until it causes a wrong number or a confusing review. The checker sorts every name in your workbook into three buckets:
- Broken names: the reference contains
#REF!, usually because the cells it pointed at were deleted. Any formula using the name now fails. - Error names: the name resolves to an error such as
#NAME?or#DIV/0!, so it feeds bad values into anything that uses it. - Unused names: defined but never referenced in a formula or another name. They add clutter and slow down anyone reviewing the model.
How to use it
- Drag your
.xlsxfile onto the box above (or click to choose one). - Read the health score and the list of broken, error and unused names with their scope.
- Delete or repair the flagged names, or install Formula Audit XL to manage them live inside Excel.
Want the bigger picture? Read the financial model audit checklist, or see how the add-in handles this in the Named Ranges auditor.
Frequently asked questions
Is my Excel file uploaded anywhere?
No. The checker runs entirely in your browser using your device's memory. Your file and its contents never leave your machine, so it is safe for confidential models.
What counts as a broken name?
A defined name whose reference contains #REF!. This happens when the cells a name pointed at were deleted, so any formula using that name now fails.
How do you decide a name is unused?
The tool scans every formula in the workbook and the reference of every other name. If a name is never referenced anywhere, it is reported as unused. Unused names are clutter and a common source of confusion during a review.
Do you check sheet-scoped names?
Yes. Names local to a single sheet and workbook-level names are both checked, and the report shows each name's scope. Built-in names such as print areas and filter ranges are ignored.
What file formats are supported?
Modern Excel files (.xlsx and .xlsm) work best. Legacy .xls is also supported. Password-protected files cannot be read.