SybilGambleyyu/workbook-change-benchmark

Workbook Change Assurance Benchmark (WCAB)

WCAB is an open, deterministic benchmark for tools that review changes to Excel workbooks. Each of its 61 synthetic cases supplies fixtures, 63 explicit observable change facts, a reference review disposition, documented coverage boundaries, and—in relevant cases—a machine-matchable coverage expectation.

The dataset's machine-readable entry point is manifest.jsonl: one JSON record per case. Every record includes the full truth contract plus exact relative workbook paths, byte counts, and SHA-256 digests. The corresponding binary fixtures live under fixtures/.

What this evaluates

WCAB targets spreadsheet-change assurance: whether a diff tool, policy gate, static analyzer, or editing agent preserves material review evidence when a workbook changes. The current cases include formula-to-value replacements, reference drift, input propagation, external references, named ranges, controls, calculation state, cycles, structural changes (including an Excel Table scope expansion with unchanged structured-reference text, a Table calculated-column master whose raw formula changes while worksheet cells and the structured-reference dashboard formula remain fixed, an embedded Power Pivot/Data Model relationship whose raw target key changes while its binding, local Tables, and opaque payload remain fixed, a newly introduced INDIRECT reference, unchanged INDIRECT/OFFSET formulas whose dynamic selectors change, an external-data connection that begins refreshing when the workbook opens, a separate relationship-backed external-data web-query connection whose stored source URL moves between reserved example.invalid endpoints while its connection identity, refresh controls, saved cells, and formula context remain fixed, a structurally shaped OPC package-signature Object/Manifest declaration whose one direct-part URI moves from the workbook part to a worksheet part while its bounded signature graph and ordinary workbook context remain fixed (with deliberately synthetic digest and signature values, so this is not cryptographic or trust validation), a second package-signature Manifest whose root-relationships selector moves between two relationship entries while its URI, Relationships Transform plus C14N sequence, and all published selector counts remain fixed (also no transform execution or trust validation), a worksheet-associated modern threaded-comment thread whose top-level stored resolution state moves from unresolved to resolved while its synthetic text, person record, relationships, content types, ordinary cells, formulas, and every other package member remain fixed (a stored state only: not proof of review, approval, notification, identity, authorization, or workflow completion), a legacy shared-workbook revision log whose one synthetic historic value changes while its relationship-backed workbook/header/log graph, content types, tracking/retention controls, record shape, ordinary cells, formulas, and every other package member remain fixed (stored audit-trail material only: not proof of provenance, identity, conflict resolution, review, approval, authorization, or workflow completion), a local worksheet-backed PivotTable cache whose stored refreshOnLoad request becomes enabled while its source, stored report cells, and direct dashboard formula remain fixed, a local PivotTable value field whose stored subtotal changes from sum to average while its source, cache, and stored report cells remain fixed, a local PivotTable Slicer cache whose selected Region item moves from North to South while its source, cache, and stored report cells remain fixed, a connection-only Power Query M definition over a local SourceData Table whose stored filter literal moves from North to South while its cells, table, metadata, and permissions remain fixed, a selected locked Scenario Manager declaration whose stored alternate Inputs!B2 value moves from 0.08 to 0.16 while its visible worksheet cells, formulas, second input, selection/protection metadata, and calculation properties remain fixed, a column-oriented one-variable What-If Data Table whose raw master changes its local input reference from B2 to B3 while its output range, input grid, ordinary formulas, and saved table results remain fixed, a list data-validation rule whose stored source switches between two local status ranges while its target, metadata, source values, and ordinary formulas remain fixed, a cellIs conditional-formatting rule whose stored exception threshold moves while its target, priority, operator, differential fill, and worksheet values remain fixed, a custom number-format declaration whose code moves while its target style, raw value, and formula context remain fixed, a stored Excel error-checking declaration whose formula-range suppression is added while its ordinary cells and formula context remain fixed, and a Dashboard DrawingML chart whose stored numeric-series reference changes while its source cells, anchor, and other chart references remain fixed), an unchanged external-workbook formula whose never-to-always open-time update policy changes, an unchanged external-workbook formula whose local externalLink package source target moves between reserved example.invalid URLs while its formula text and local dependency remain fixed, a local ScenarioRate defined name whose qualified external-workbook source text changes while its Model!B2 formula and local dashboard consumer remain fixed, a workbook-scoped ScenarioValue named LAMBDA whose stored body changes while its inputs, calling formula, and local dashboard consumer remain fixed, a protected Controls worksheet whose stored sort permission moves from locked to permitted while its cells and formula context remain fixed, a protected range whose standard nested securityDescriptor text changes while its protected locked target, verifier, range name/reference, formula context, and every other package member remain fixed (stored metadata only: it does not identify, authenticate, authorize, or enforce an editor), one standards-form sensitivity-label metadata envelope whose root relationships and LabelInfo part remain fixed while one private MIP custom-property value changes in docProps/custom.xml (safe counts and package-member boundaries only: it does not expose label IDs/names, action/site IDs, timestamps, property names/values, XML, or relationship IDs/targets; or resolve a label, determine effective classification, inspect permissions, or claim Office or storage-service behavior), one relationship-bound worksheet Form control whose private stored macro assignment changes while its declaration, control-properties part, relationship/content type, ordinary cells, formulas, and every other package member remain fixed (safe structural counts and member boundaries only: it does not expose the control name, shape ID, macro names, relationship ID, or raw XML; load a control, resolve or execute a macro, evaluate permissions, or claim Office client behavior), an unchanged direct circular formula whose iterative-calculation setting becomes enabled, an unchanged precision-sensitive input and formula whose calculation switches to precision as displayed, an unchanged legacy-CSE array formula that switches to dynamic-array semantics, a saved numeric formula result that changes despite an unchanged formula and direct input, a workbook-wide 1900-to-1904 serial-date-system setting change with a stable numeric serial, date format, and local formulas, an active worksheet AutoFilter criterion change with a stable SUBTOTAL and downstream formula, a relationship-backed saved Excel Named Sheet View whose alternate list criterion changes while its base AutoFilter, cells, formulas, and dashboard dependency stay fixed, a local XML Map whose mapped invoice-table column XPath changes while its map/schema/file binding declarations, single-cell mapping, cells, formulas, and dashboard dependency stay fixed, and a relationship-backed Office Web Add-in task-pane declaration whose stored Office.AutoShowTaskpaneWithDocument request changes from false to true while its synthetic local reference, locked hidden pane, ordinary cells, and formula context stay fixed, and one local worksheet OLE declaration whose raw autoLoad request moves from false to true while its internal relationship, opaque synthetic bytes, ordinary cells, and formula context stay fixed, a relationship-backed QueryTable whose own raw refreshOnLoad request moves from false to true while its fixed internal connection control, non-routable synthetic endpoint, saved cells, and formula context stay fixed, a relationship-backed worksheet cell hyperlink whose visible text and local formula context stay fixed while its one external OOXML relationship target moves between reserved example.invalid URLs, and a small multi-workbook portfolio.

It also includes a real macro-enabled .xlsm pair whose workbook-scoped _xlnm.Auto_Open binding moves from one cell to another on a fixed very-hidden XLM macro sheet. The raw macro-sheet payload, macro relationship, content types, ordinary formula context, calculation properties, and every other package member remain fixed, so the case isolates the stored dispatch declaration rather than macro content.

The benchmark does not evaluate Excel formula execution or claim that candidate numerical results are correct. review_expectation is a transparent benchmark convention, not a universal business policy. Consumers should retain each case's coverage boundary, disclose applicable coverage_expectations, and report unsupported features explicitly.

The Named Sheet View case records stored OOXML only: it does not activate, render, or apply the view; calculate a subtotal; infer visible rows; or claim a client display or print outcome.

The XML Map case records a stored import/export binding only: it does not access a file, validate a schema, import or export XML, materialize data, calculate a result, or claim client behavior.

The Office Web Add-in case records a stored package property only: it does not install, load, execute, or fetch an add-in or manifest, and it does not claim that a task pane opens or that an add-in accesses workbook cells.

The embedded OLE case records a stored package property only: it does not deserialize, open, render, execute, register, or invoke an object server, and it does not claim that the opaque synthetic object loads successfully.

The QueryTable case records a stored package property only: it does not open a connection, fetch a URL, refresh a query, materialize rows, calculate a workbook, or claim that a client refreshes successfully.

The cell-hyperlink case records a stored package relationship only: it does not resolve, open, fetch, visit, execute, calculate, or otherwise interact with a target, and does not claim that a client follows it.

The external-workbook source case records a stored package relationship only: it does not resolve, open, fetch, authenticate to, trust, refresh, calculate, or otherwise interact with a source, and does not claim that a client updates a link or returns a value.

The external-defined-name source case records local definedName text only: it has no externalLink package, does not resolve, open, fetch, authenticate to, trust, refresh, calculate, or otherwise interact with either synthetic source, and does not claim that a client resolves the name or returns a value.

The named-LAMBDA case records local definedName formula text only: it does not evaluate the function, calculate a result, infer Excel-version support, or claim that a client recalculates, spills, or persists a value.

The Table calculated-column case records a Table-level formula master only: it does not fill a column, reconcile that master with row formulas, calculate a structured reference, infer a total, or claim client behavior.

The Power Pivot/Data Model case records a raw relationship declaration only: it does not deserialize the Analysis Services payload, evaluate DAX, refresh a model, calculate or render a report, infer model-to-cell impact, or claim client behavior.

The XLM Auto_Open case records a stored dispatch declaration only: it does not open Excel, enable or execute XLM code, parse or emulate macro instructions, resolve a dynamic name, inspect macro-security or trust settings, infer a dispatch result, calculate a workbook, or claim client behavior.

The sheet-protection sort case records a stored action permission only: it does not test a password, encryption, authorization, editable ranges, an actual client sort operation, or a resulting value.

The protected-range descriptor case records one standards-form nested stored descriptor change only. Public truth and FormulaFence adapter contracts use safe aggregate metadata rather than the descriptor, range name, or verifier; the case does not test a password, encryption, identity, authentication, authorization, editable-range enforcement, client behavior, or a resulting value.

The sensitivity-label metadata case records one private MIP custom-property value transition only. Its standard custom-property and classificationlabels relationships plus LabelInfo package part are fixed; public truth and the FormulaFence adapter retain only aggregate counts and package-member boundaries. The case does not disclose label IDs or names, action/site IDs, timestamps, property names or values, XML, relationship IDs, or targets; resolve a label; contact a policy service; determine effective classification; inspect encryption or permissions; infer access; enforce policy; or claim Office, SharePoint, OneDrive, or storage-service behavior.

The worksheet-control macro-assignment case records one private stored control assignment transition only. Its control declaration, one relationship-backed form-control-properties part, relationship and content-type bindings, ordinary formula context, and all package members except xl/worksheets/sheet1.xml are fixed. Public truth and the FormulaFence adapter retain only aggregate control counts and package-member boundaries. The case does not disclose control or macro identities, load a control, inspect or execute VBA, resolve a macro, authenticate a user, evaluate permissions, invoke an Office client, or claim an event-dispatch result.

Use

Download manifest.jsonl to enumerate the cases, then retrieve the referenced fixture files. Verify each downloaded workbook with its SHA-256 digest before running an evaluator. The source repository includes a local validator and a deterministic fixture generator:

git clone https://github.com/SybilGambleyyu/workbook-change-benchmark
cd workbook-change-benchmark
python -m venv .venv
.venv/bin/python -m pip install -e '.[dev]'
wcab validate --fixtures fixtures

See the source repository for the truth schema, tool-neutral observation protocol, validation contract, and releases. The dataset is MIT licensed.