excel-variance-analyzer
Standardizes the workflow for identifying and explaining financial discrepancies in Excel.
Install
mkdir -p .claude/skills/excel-variance-analyzer && curl -L -o skill.zip "https://agentskills.codes/api/skills/download/2107" && unzip -o skill.zip -d .claude/skills/excel-variance-analyzer && rm skill.zipInstalls to .claude/skills/excel-variance-analyzer
Activation
This is the description your AI agent reads to decide when to run this skill — the better it matches your request, the more reliably it fires.
Analyze budget vs actual variances in Excel with drill-down and rootKey capabilities
- →Import budget and actual data into a comparison template.
- →Calculate absolute and percentage variances.
- →Apply materiality thresholds for flagging exceptions.
- →Create drill-downs by category, period, or cost center.
- →Generate variance waterfall charts for executive reporting.
How it works
The skill processes budget and actual data, calculates variances, applies materiality thresholds, and generates reports with drill-down capabilities.
Inputs & outputs
When to use excel-variance-analyzer
- →Reconciling monthly P&L statements
- →Performing budget variance root cause analysis
- →Flagging material financial exceptions
About this skill
Excel Variance Analyzer
Overview
Performs comprehensive budget vs actual variance analysis with automated drill-down, root cause identification, and executive reporting.
Prerequisites
- Excel or compatible spreadsheet software
- Budget data by period and category
- Actual results for comparison
- Cost center or department structure
Instructions
- Import budget and actual data into comparison template
- Calculate absolute and percentage variances
- Apply materiality thresholds for flagging
- Create drill-down by category, period, or cost center
- Generate variance waterfall chart for executive reporting
Output
- Variance summary with favorable/unfavorable indicators
- Materiality-filtered exception report
- Waterfall chart showing budget-to-actual bridge
- Drill-down by category or cost center
Error Handling
| Error | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Missing periods | Data gaps | Fill with zeros or interpolate |
| Percentage calc error | Zero budget | Use IF to handle div/0 |
| Misaligned categories | Changed chart of accounts | Create mapping table |
Examples
Example: Monthly P&L Variance Request: "Analyze why we missed budget by $500K this month" Result: Variance waterfall showing revenue shortfall offset by OPEX savings
Example: Department Budget Review Request: "Which departments are over budget YTD?" Result: Ranked list by variance magnitude with drill-down to line items
Resources
- FP&A Best Practices
${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/variance-formulas.mdfor calculation templates
Prerequisites
Limitations
- →Missing data periods may require filling with zeros or interpolation.
- →Zero budget values can cause percentage calculation errors.
- →Misaligned categories may require a mapping table.
How it compares
This skill automates the calculation, flagging, and reporting of budget variances with drill-down and waterfall charts, which is more efficient than manual spreadsheet analysis.
Compared to similar skills
excel-variance-analyzer side by side with the closest alternatives in the catalog.
| Skill | Installs | Updated | Safety | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| excel-variance-analyzer (this skill) | 6 | 27d | Review | Beginner |
| reconciliation | 30 | 5mo | No flags | Intermediate |
| analyzing-financial-statements | 32 | 8mo | Review | Intermediate |
| financial-document-parser | 20 | 2mo | No flags | Beginner |
Try saying
Example prompts that trigger this skill in your AI assistant.
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