I agree with your first comment that it is often used in combination with Export Areas but don’t think it adds much value (but an awful lot of unnecessary Excel code!)

One of the strongest features of the philosophy behind FAST modeling standard is the simplicity (check out http://www.fast-modeling.net/) which is to a large extent achieved by a disciplined avoidance (or simplification) of off-sheet links. If you are looking for a financial modelling training course in London then Financial mechanics (http://www.fi-mech.com/) should definitely be on your shortlist. The methodology is pretty similar the financial modelling methodology preached by Navigator Project Finance (http://www.navigatorPF.com) with the main difference that Fi-Mech are more focused on productivity and Navigator are more focused on transaction presentation.

In regards to row-anchoring for subsequent copying, yes, I like it. It is just a shame it looks so bad…. Colour-coding, hm, same argument…. Both methods are great for the developer but will probably not improve the chances of getting an investment-committee across the line…. From a model audit perspective though it opens up a lot of interesting questions, like ‘this line should be blue but is read – is that an ‘error?’

Maybe we should generate some Fi-mech screenshots and put up on Fimodo to provide readers with a better understanding of what I have tried to explain?

Well described as always – as you’d expect nothing in it that I would disagree with, and I think you’ve captured the primary alternatives. On the ‘imports at the top’ Alternative 2, I would also note that I see folks put a summary of exports at the bottom of the source worksheet from time to time, though we feel this has then the weakness of daisy chaining.

Not sure ‘tailored approach’ captures the concept of your recommended alternative No. 3. To the extent you don’t want to broadcast this as the F1F9 or FAST Modeling Standard, understandable, probably more descriptive to refer to it as ‘only have off-sheet references as links placed proximately to formulas, never directly in formulas’ — clearly more than a mouthful : -).

Opportunity to hear from you as well what you think about row-anchoring the off-sheet links (for subsequent copying) and/or what you think about color conventions in this regard?

There is a typo in using the company name F1F9.

It is ‘F1F9′ and not ‘F1F19′.

Can you please update the article for the same.