Build The Spreadsheet Formula Semantic Diff Tool, an application that helps users identify meaningful changes between two versions of a spreadsheet formula or workbook.
Allow users to upload workbook versions or paste formulas for comparison.
The tool should:
Normalize supported formulas to identify superficial formatting differences.
Compare cell references, operators, functions, constants, and range boundaries.
Detect changes from relative to absolute references.
Identify formulas that differ across otherwise similar rows or columns.
Trace potentially affected outputs through supported dependency relationships.
Explain each change in plain language.
Flag possible changes in business logic, such as altered tax rates or date boundaries.
Separate syntactic changes from changes whose actual impact depends on input data.
Generate a review report with cell references and before-and-after formulas.
Include sample budget, revenue forecast, and inventory workbooks. Preserve original files and make parser limitations explicit. Do not claim that a formula difference is a bug without evaluating its intended purpose. Deliver an interactive side-by-side comparison interface with filters and exportable findings.
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