By Hiran de Silva
A few days ago, Oz du Soleil posted a wonderful Excel challenge—one that’s drawn dozens of responses from the vibrant LinkedIn Excel community. The premise was deceptively simple: how can three friends agree on a holiday destination given their personal preferences and travel histories?
The creativity in the solutions shared so far is admirable. But as I browsed through the responses, one thing stood out immediately: the thinking behind the solutions is often invisible. In contrast, Oz took the time to explain not just what his solution was, but why it worked. That kind of clarity is what helps everyone—novice and expert alike—learn and grow.
So I’d like to issue a respectful and academic invitation to all those who posted solutions: please explain your thought process as clearly as Oz did. Not for competition’s sake, but to enrich the collective understanding. After all, if a solution really does get to the heart of a problem in the most elegant and direct way, it deserves to be seen and appreciated in full clarity.
Scaling Up: Why This Matters
I’ve taken this same holiday challenge and extended it into an episode of my Excel Mission Impossible series—where we deliberately reframe spreadsheet problems into enterprise-scale scenarios. Why? Because this is where Excel often comes under fire.
Critics argue that while Excel is widely used, it simply can’t scale to meet the demands of complex, growing businesses. They cite examples of spreadsheets becoming unmanageable, fragile, or opaque. But that isn’t Excel’s fault. That’s a result of how Excel is used—not what Excel is capable of.
Let me be blunt but fair: Excel is massively scalable when implemented properly. The issue isn’t the tool—it’s the methodology. And that’s the gap the Mission Impossible series is designed to highlight. By extending “local” spreadsheet problems into “global” ones, we expose which techniques scale—and which fall apart under pressure.
A Call for Transparency and Responsibility
There’s a growing trend—especially on social media—to showcase clever formulas or slick one-off solutions. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But when these same techniques are promoted without context, they can unintentionally mislead users into thinking they’re building robust, enterprise-grade solutions… when they’re not.
So here’s a gentle challenge to all contributors: if your solution is scalable, show how. If it isn’t, simply say so. That honesty is not a weakness—it’s a strength. Social media engagement brings visibility, yes—but it also brings responsibility. When you publish content that others may follow, you owe it to your audience to be clear about the context and limitations.
Silence, when asked to explain or stand behind your work, speaks volumes. In a world where Excel touches critical business processes across the globe, tossing techniques into the feed without standing by them is like putting up a road sign… and walking away. You may not be responsible for where others end up—but you are responsible for the direction you’re pointing them in.
The Bigger Picture
Let’s be clear: not every solution needs to be scalable. If you’re a sole trader managing your invoices, a quick-and-dirty formula might be perfect. But if you’re building systems that dozens—or hundreds—of people will rely on, scalability is non-negotiable. The very techniques that impress in a social media demo may collapse when asked to support a real business process.
So let’s raise the bar—not to discourage participation, but to deepen it. Let’s move from “look what I did!” to “here’s how and why it works—and what to watch out for if you try to use it at scale.”
Final Thoughts
Oz’s challenge was a great example of what thoughtful Excel practice looks like. My hope is that others will follow his lead—not just in solving, but in explaining. And if you’re genuinely interested in advancing Excel as a professional, scalable platform, then you’ll find in that responsibility not a burden, but an opportunity.
We don’t need more clever tricks. We need clear thinking, transparent communication, and a commitment to building solutions that endure—whether that’s for three friends planning a holiday or 300 budget holders reviewing accounts.
Add comment