Edge case
An input at the edge of what the logic expects, like a code that isn't in the lookup table, to see that it fails the way it should instead of returning a plausible wrong value.
For example, a VLOOKUP with a code that doesn't exist should return #N/A. If it returns some other value, the formula is finding a row that isn't yours, and that mistake is easy to miss.
Related terms
- Unit test
Giving a piece of logic (a formula, a function) an input whose correct output you already know, and checking that it returns that.
- Spot check
Taking a few rows spread across the data (from the start, the middle and the end) and comparing them by hand with what you expect.
- Reconciliation
Comparing a total you computed with the same total from an independent source, such as a bank statement or a register report, and explaining any difference.