• If you would like to post, please check out the MrExcel Message Board FAQ and register here. If you forgot your password, you can reset your password.
  • Excel articles and downloadable files provided in the articles have not been reviewed by MrExcel Publishing. Please apply the provided methods / codes and open the files at your own risk. If you have any questions regarding an article, please use the Article Discussion section.
MrExcel

Sending Effective Bug Reports to the Excel Team

Excel Version
  1. 365
  2. 2019
  3. 2016
I recently had a conversation with several members of the Excel team about how they process submissions that are sent in through the Feedback icon that appeared on the Help tab in Excel. There is a specific set of steps you can use that will make sure a human reads your bug report.

1575284138442.png


1. After clicking Feedback, always choose "I Don't Like Something". This was formerly known as "Send a Frown". People read reports sent in as a frown. On a busy day, no one has time to read the "Send a Smile" entries.
2. This one is obvious, but you need to type a description of the problem.
3. This one is not so obvious, and it was the one that I was violating all the time. If you want your report to be read and acted upon, you must choose all three checkboxes: Attach My Logs to Help Troubleshoot, Include Screenshot, and You Can Contact Me About This Feedback. Provide a valid e-mail address that you actually check.

1575284414377.png


Here is why step 3 is important. The Excel team has figured out that the description rarely includes enough information about how to reproduce the problem. If there is not a valid e-mail and a way to contact you, they often end up in a dead-end. So the feedback without a way to contact the person will likely not get read.

Here is the great news: If you check all of the boxes, then a real human from the Excel team will be reading your feedback. I've heard from many people that they started following these steps and that they will often hear back from someone on the Excel team that the bug has been fixed.

How to Report a Crash?
What if Excel crashes? As soon as Excel restarts, go to the Help, Feedback, I Don't Like Something. The description is very simple: "Excel crashed in the last session". Send the logs and the Excel team will be able to diagnose the problem. Again, make sure to provide a way for them to contact you.
Author
MrExcel
Views
1,578
First release
Last update
Rating
0.00 star(s) 0 ratings

More Excel articles from MrExcel

We've detected that you are using an adblocker.

We have a great community of people providing Excel help here, but the hosting costs are enormous. You can help keep this site running by allowing ads on MrExcel.com.
Allow Ads at MrExcel

Which adblocker are you using?

Disable AdBlock

Follow these easy steps to disable AdBlock

1)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the "Pause on this site" option.
Go back

Disable AdBlock Plus

Follow these easy steps to disable AdBlock Plus

1)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the toggle to disable it for "mrexcel.com".
Go back

Disable uBlock Origin

Follow these easy steps to disable uBlock Origin

1)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the "Power" button.
3)Click on the "Refresh" button.
Go back

Disable uBlock

Follow these easy steps to disable uBlock

1)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the "Power" button.
3)Click on the "Refresh" button.
Go back
Back
Top