Spreadsheet skills are often learned on the job, making it hard to define what “good” looks like. ICAEW’s recently updated Spreadsheet Competency Framework brings consistency and a more practical way to assessing and developing skills, reflecting how new Excel functionality, automation and AI are changing the way we work.
Defining spreadsheet skills is not a new challenge. While many online assessments aim to measure capability and may be broadly accurate, the lack of standardisation means that an ‘expert’ rating in one assessment may not equate to the same level in another.
It also raises the question of what ‘expert’ really means. For example, if an auditor prepares working papers to a high standard but rarely uses form controls, should they be considered less than expert simply because they don’t know how to use a feature that is not relevant to their role?
To address this, this new edition of ICAEW’s Spreadsheet Competency Framework links an updated set of competencies to defined groups of spreadsheet users. It considers a range of finance roles, such as auditors and financial modellers, while also recognising the use of spreadsheets beyond finance, particularly in education, where educators and teachers can help develop computational thinking skills and prepare students for technical roles.
The framework also offers a practical guidance for employers recruiting for roles that involve frequent spreadsheet use, as well as for individuals seeking an objective view of their own capability. It replaces vague CV claims such as “proficient with Microsoft Excel” or “expert level competency in Excel” with a clearer structure for assessing spreadsheet skills, describing role requirements and identifying individual strengths and development needs.
Why is this important?
Spreadsheet risk affects many organisations, often more than they realise. While high-profile failures tend to attract the most attention, the day-to-day cost for most organisations is under-trained staff and the time lost through inefficient spreadsheet use.
A lack of appropriate spreadsheet skills also increases the risk of errors in the data organisations rely on to report results and inform decision making.
The framework in action
To demonstrate how the framework can be used, explore the examples below that show how ICAEW interns have used the framework to evaluate their spreadsheet skills and identify areas for development.
Angel Oni, Economics and Politics Graduate, is starting her career in Accounting and Finance and is interested in developing her skills in financial modelling.
Proficiency level: General User moving into Creator
“As a recent graduate, I would describe my relationship with Excel as solid on the fundamentals, but slightly out of practice.
Using the ICAEW framework, I would place my competency level in using Excel around the ‘General’ mark, occasionally stepping into ‘Creator’ when it comes to design and formula work.
As someone in their early career moving into accountancy, I can see clear gaps in my proficiency that could really expose themselves as a limitation. Data analysis is where I am lacking the most and where I need to improve my proficiency. Features such as PivotTables and Power Query are central to the work of accountancy, and as I prepare for the start of my graduate job, I will dedicate more time to exploring them to grow from basic familiarity into genuine confidence. With accountancy being a profession built on accuracy, I will spend more time focusing in on formulas financial modellers and external auditors use most.
Working on my Excel skills in financial modelling would make me feel more confident when starting my graduate job. ICAEW’s Spreadsheet Competency Framework, has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of my own skills and weak points, helping me to target my practice to help me reach higher levels of proficiency.”
James Okoro, studying Finance, Accounting and Management at the University of Nottingham, will be going into his final year of study. He is interested in completing the ACA in the future.
Proficiency level: General User
“I am second-year University of Nottingham student going into my third year, studying Finance, Accounting and Management, hoping to complete the ACA and build a career in audit.
I would say I have the basic understanding of using Excel, having done Computer Science in my GCSEs at school. However, using the ICAEW framework, I would place myself at the ‘General’ User level.
My strengths include being able to work confidently with spreadsheets for data analysis, applying formulas, organising and presenting information, and supporting my academic work at university with structured data handling. These skills provide a solid foundation for audit, where accuracy, attention to detail and the ability to analyse financial data are essential.
However, to progress towards the Creator level, which is expected of many auditors, I need to develop more advanced spreadsheet capabilities, including building robust and well-structured models, using complex functions such as INDEX/MATCH and XLOOKUP, working with PivotTables and Power Query, performing error-checking and spreadsheet review procedures, and understanding spreadsheet controls and good practice standards. Strengthening these areas will help me analyse larger datasets more efficiently, identify anomalies and risks, and demonstrate the technical proficiency expected by many audit firms.”
Yodahey Belete, a recent Accounting and Finance Graduate with a range of internship experience in accounting and finance, is interested in starting a career in Audit.
Proficiency level: General User with some Creator level competencies
“As a recent graduate, with internship experience in wealth management, risk analysis, and finance, I already have some experience with working with Excel and spreadsheets.
Using the ICAEW framework, I would place my competency level in using Excel around the ‘General’ level especially in formatting, using formulas and functions and data analysis. I also score at a ‘Creator’ level ability in charting and visualisations as well as in reviewing a spreadsheet.
As someone interested in starting a career in audit, I used the ‘Audit Preparer’ job role to analyse my competency levels. In addition to helping me to identify my areas of strength, the framework allowed me to note areas of improvement. To progress forward, I realised that I need to develop my understanding of automation in Excel through VBA and Office Scripts as well as learn more about worksheet protection and error messages that could impact my work.”
Archive and Knowledge Base
This archive of Excel Community content from the ION platform will allow you to read the content of the articles but the functionality on the pages is limited. The ION search box, tags and navigation buttons on the archived pages will not work. Pages will load more slowly than a live website. You may be able to follow links to other articles but if this does not work, please return to the archive search. You can also search our Knowledge Base for access to all articles, new and archived, organised by topic.
