Formula-driven workbook templates with UDFs in Excel

Formula-driven workbook templates are one of the most practical ways to use BESH Stat NG in Excel. Instead of creating one-off output sheets and then copying results into reports manually, you can build a workbook where the analysis is driven directly by worksheet formulas.

This approach is especially useful when you want:

• a reusable analysis template
• a transparent audit trail
• a workbook that can be updated by changing only the data or a few control cells
• a structure that works well for tutorials, internal templates, and validation workflows

In this tutorial, we show how to build formula-driven workbook templates with BESH Stat NG UDFs using three practical examples:

• a ROC analysis template
• a multinomial logistic regression template
• an ordinal logistic regression template

The workbook is designed to be screenshot-friendly and easy to adapt to new studies.

Download the example workbook

Download the formula-driven workbook template

The workbook contains these sheets:

• README — workbook overview and suggested reading order
• Template_Patterns — the common workbook architecture used in all examples
• ROC_Data — raw diagnostic dataset
• ROC_Template — formula-driven ROC template
• MN_Data — raw multiclass dataset
• MN_Template — formula-driven multinomial logistic regression template
• ORD_Data — raw ordered-outcome dataset
• ORD_Template — formula-driven ordinal logistic regression template
• Sources — dataset URLs and documentation links

Why formula-driven workbook templates matter

A formula-driven template keeps the analysis logic in visible worksheet formulas rather than hiding it inside a one-time GUI output sheet.

That has several advantages.

Reproducibility

If the input data changes, the workbook can be recalculated without rebuilding the entire analysis from scratch.

Transparency

The key analysis logic is stored directly in cells:

• ranges
• formula text
• reference category
• alpha level
• iteration settings
• prediction scenarios

Reusability

The same workbook structure can be reused across projects. In many cases, you only need to replace the data block and adjust a few control cells.

Better teaching and validation

This format is ideal for tutorials because readers can see:

• the raw data
• the control block
• the live fit handle
• the summary output
• the testing output
• any classification or prediction spill

It is also useful for validation because the workbook itself becomes part of the documented workflow. The screenshot below shows a typical formula-driven worksheet layout in BESH Stat NG, with a control block, fit handle, summary spill, and tests spill kept visible directly in the workbook.

Template 1: ROC analysis in Excel

The simplest formula-driven pattern in the workbook is the ROC template.

The sheet ROC_Template shows how a workbook can be built around just:

• a small control block
• one summary formula
• one plot-data formula

The control block contains:

• marker range
• status range
• positive class
• direction
• alpha

The two core formulas are:

• the formulas are short
• the control logic is visible
• the output spills naturally into a summary block and a chart-data block
• the workbook can be adapted easily to a different diagnostic marker

In this kind of template, the chart, cut-off interpretation block, and any commentary should be placed beside the live spill areas rather than inside them.

Template 2: Multinomial logistic regression

The sheet MN_Template shows the full handle-based workflow for a multicategory nominal outcome.

This template includes:

• a control block
• a fit handle cell
• a summary spill
• a model-tests spill
• a classification spill
• a scenario prediction block

The control block contains:

• predictor names
• formula text
• reference category
• alpha
• maximum iterations
• tolerance

The fit handle formula is:

That makes the workbook cleaner and more efficient than repeating the full model call in several places.

It also makes it easier to build:

• tutorial screenshots
• prediction scenarios
• workbook dashboards
• quality-control checks

Template 3: Ordinal logistic regression

The sheet ORD_Template shows the corresponding formula-driven pattern for an ordered outcome. This template uses the same overall logic as the multinomial sheet, but with one important difference:

the worksheet explicitly documents the model design by keeping the factor(...) terms visible in the formula text cell.

The control block includes:

• predictor names
• formula text
• reference category
• alpha
• maximum iterations
• tolerance

The formula text used in the workbook is:

The fit handle formula is:

• visible model design
• reusable fit logic
• clean separation of summary and testing output
• a structure that can be adapted to new severity or grading outcomes

Practical workbook rules for reusable UDF templates

A formula-driven workbook is easiest to maintain when a few simple rules are followed.

Keep formulas visible

Important model settings should live in cells, not only in the formula bar or a separate note.

Separate raw data from output sheets

Do not mix source data and live result spills on the same sheet unless there is a very good reason.

Do not type inside spill ranges

Spill areas should stay clean. Put any comments, interpretation notes, charts, or helper calculations beside them.

Keep source links in the workbook

If the workbook is reused later, the data and method links should stay with it.

Keep scenario blocks separate

Prediction scenarios should not overlap with summary, tests, or classification outputs.

Use the same architecture repeatedly

A repeated pattern across workbook sheets makes the template easier to teach and easier to validate.

How to adapt the workbook to a new study

This workbook is meant to be a template, not just a static example.

In most cases, adapting it means changing only a few things:

• replace the raw data on the relevant data sheet
• update the predictor names in the control block
• update the formula text where relevant
• adjust the reference category if needed
• update alpha, iteration limit, or tolerance if the model requires it
• edit the scenario rows for prediction blocks

The rest of the worksheet structure can usually stay the same.

That is one of the main benefits of the formula-driven approach.

Compatibility note for older Excel versions

This workbook is easiest to use in dynamic-array versions of Excel because BESH Stat NG UDF outputs can spill automatically into neighboring cells.

Older versions of Excel do not support spill ranges. In those versions, users may need to enter the expected output as array formulas over a preselected output range instead of relying on automatic spills.

In practice, that means:

• select the full target output range first
• enter the UDF formula
• confirm it as an array formula rather than a normal formula

Depending on the exact Excel version and workbook setup, that may require the traditional Ctrl+Shift+Enter workflow instead of a normal Enter key confirmation. So for older non-spill Excel versions, the same analysis logic can still be used, but the workbook may need a more manual array-entry workflow.

Validation and transparency

These workbook templates are designed to be transparent and reproducible.

Each example keeps the logic visible in the sheet and also preserves the source URLs in the Sources tab. That makes it easier to trace:

• the dataset origin
• the method documentation
• the worksheet logic
• the intended tutorial workflow

For a broader overview of how BESH Stat NG results are checked, including reference datasets, automated tests, and comparison workflows, see the Validation page.

Why formula-driven templates are useful in practice

A formula-driven workbook template is especially useful when:

• the same analysis is repeated regularly
• the workbook is shared across a team
• the worksheet must be audited later
• you want to teach a method step by step
• the workbook is part of a documented validation or reporting workflow

In other words, this approach is not only about convenience. It is also about making the analysis easier to understand and easier to trust.

Summary

BESH Stat NG worksheet functions make it possible to build reusable formula-driven workbook templates in Excel instead of relying only on one-time GUI output sheets.

In this tutorial workbook, the same design pattern is applied to:

• ROC analysis
• multinomial logistic regression
• ordinal logistic regression

The result is a workbook structure that is:

• transparent
• reusable
• teachable
• validation-friendly

This makes formula-driven templates a practical next step for users who want to move from one-off analyses to repeatable Excel workflows.

Frequently asked questions

What is a formula-driven workbook template?

A formula-driven workbook template is an Excel workbook where the main analysis logic is stored in worksheet formulas and control cells rather than being created only through one-time GUI output.

Why use worksheet UDFs instead of only GUI analysis?

Worksheet UDFs make the workflow more reproducible, easier to audit, and easier to adapt to new datasets or scenarios.

What is the advantage of a fit handle in a workbook template?

A fit handle lets you compute the model once and reuse it for summary, tests, classification, and prediction outputs without repeating the full fitting call.

Can formula-driven templates be used with older Excel versions?

Yes, but older non-dynamic-array versions of Excel may require manual array-formula entry over a preselected output range instead of automatic spill behavior.

What kinds of analyses work well with this template style?

This pattern works especially well for ROC analysis, regression models, classification tables, and scenario-based prediction workflows.

See also

• Tutorials hub
• Validation
• UDF Cookbook
• ROC analysis in Excel
• Multinomial and ordinal outcome workflows in Excel
• UDF Cookbook help
• Regression-model UDF help
• Plot-data UDF help