Multiple tabs
One tab per domain, sometimes a summary tab fed by formulas. Each tab is handled in its own context, without breaking the cross-references between sheets.
The client’s Excel workbook, filled in with its original formatting.
Six tabs, merged cells, imposed drop-down lists, an “evidence to attach” column and three formulas that calculate a score on the client’s side. The file goes back exactly as it arrived, filled in, not as a home-made export the buyer would have to copy across.
Why the format matters as much as the answer
A client who receives a restructured workbook has to redo the integration work, and sometimes rejects it. On a response template imposed in public procurement, a change of structure can even make the bid non-compliant. Returning the file exactly as received is not a technical detail: it is a condition of admissibility.
What is preserved
The six traps in a client workbook
Imposed drop-down lists
“Compliant / Partially compliant / Not applicable”: the answer is chosen from the permitted values, and free text goes in the column provided for it.
Merged cells and hidden rows
Merges are kept; hidden rows are neither deleted nor revealed, because they are often used for calculations on the client’s side.
“Evidence to attach” column
Filled in with the document name and page. The corresponding documents are gathered in a folder ready to attach.
Character limits
When the cell imposes a maximum length, the answer is written to fit within it without losing the essentials, not truncated afterwards.
Formulas and conditional formatting
The client’s formulas stay live: their score is calculated as intended when they open the file.
Internally, each completed cell keeps its source, score and approver in the platform. The client receives a clean workbook; the traceability stays with you.
Frequently asked
Excel: the questions that come up
01
Is the file returned really the original file?
Yes: it is the client’s workbook, filled in. Tabs, column order, merged cells, drop-down lists, conditional formatting and formulas are all preserved.
02
What happens if the workbook is password-protected?
You provide the password sent by the client, just as you would to open it yourself. Locked areas stay locked: only the input cells are filled in.
03
What about Word or PDF questionnaires?
They are handled in the same way: locked Word form, Word table, PDF form. The principle remains to return the document in its original form.
04
Can we review in Excel rather than in the platform?
Review is more efficient in the platform, where each answer displays its source and score. But the completed workbook can be downloaded at any time, and corrections made in the platform carry through to the export.
05
Does the client see the scores in the file?
No, unless you decide otherwise. Scores and annotations stay internal; the file delivered contains the approved answers and the evidence references requested.
Send us the most painful workbook you have ever received.
Six tabs, drop-down lists, an evidence column: we fill it in front of you, on your documents, and return it to you in its original formatting.