In the world of software development, a code smell is a readily identified surface indication that often corresponds to a deeper problem in a system. Code smells are not bugs but can reveal a codebase that is fragile or may be difficult to maintain in the long term. With a little bit of practice code smells (which have entertaining names like “feature envy” and “shotgun surgery”) are generally easy to spot but understanding how to fix smelly code can take a lot of knowledge and experience.
Spreadsheets, on the other hand, can be an incredibly powerful tool for quickly testing concepts, analysing data and visualising outputs, but their ubiquity and apparent ease of use often means they get taken beyond their point of efficiency. The following “spreadsheet smells” are intended to help you quickly identify when things might be getting out of control and present a few possible solutions … continue reading