How To Handle A Spreadsheet Request

The Writer is in charge of presenting it in the most logical format.

So, the writer’s role is to actually create the spreadsheet and fill it in using the sources provided by the Sourcer and write the corresponding brief.

SPREADSHEET GUIDELINES

• Typically, you are not the only analyst working on a spreadsheet. It is critically important that you ensure you are working in the right rows.
• Always follow the Spreadsheet Style Guide when completing a pre-made spreadsheet or when creating your own spreadsheet.
• Never change any aspect of a pre-made spreadsheet, including formatting or content. This means you should not add or delete rows/columns unless specifically instructed to do so.
• If there is information already in your spreadsheet rows, it is likely a previous analyst’s work was rejected. You should delete it and start from scratch.
• If you have created your own spreadsheet, be sure to change the share settings to “Anyone with the link can edit” and attach it as a source.

THE WRITE UP

In general, your write up for spreadsheet requests can be minimal. It is best practice to provide a brief introduction that directly answers the client’s question and links to the spreadsheet. Sometimes the client will specifically note that they do not want a write-up at all, so you can skip this part and instead focus solely on the spreadsheet.

If you do need a small write-up, you should be sure to include the following components in your write-up:

• Insights: At least 1 insight that directly answers the client’s question(s). Insights should contain key information directly from the spreadsheet. They should NOT simply state that you filled out the spreadsheet.
• Methodology: Wonder does not require a methodology section, but spreadsheets often need one, particularly if there is any information that couldn’t be found or needs calculation. Methodology should help tell the story about your research paths - where you searched, what you found (with links to highlight what was not available) and why info wasn’t available. This is essential in order present your logic effectively. Reviewers and clients should be able to determine how you arrived at your spreadsheet entries from your write up.
• Summary: A brief summary of your findings is required, but this does not have to be extensive. You do not need to repeat all information you entered on the spreadsheet.
• Conclusion: This should be brief and reiterate your findings

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