Spreadsheet Refactoring

TL;DR

This paper introduces spreadsheet refactoring techniques that improve spreadsheet design and maintainability by adapting software refactoring principles to the unique characteristics of spreadsheets, formulas, and VBA code.

Contribution

It presents novel spreadsheet refactoring methods tailored to the specific constraints of spreadsheets, enhancing their structure without altering functionality.

Findings

Developed specific refactoring techniques for spreadsheets

Addressed the coupling of data and code in spreadsheets

Improved spreadsheet maintainability and understandability

Abstract

Refactoring is a change made to the internal structure of software to make it easier to understand and cheaper to modify without changing its observable behaviour. A database refactoring is a small change to the database schema which improves its design without changing its semantics. This paper presents example 'spreadsheet refactorings', derived from the above and taking into account the unique characteristics of spreadsheet formulas and VBA code. The techniques are constrained by the tightly coupled data and code in spreadsheets.