Spreadsheet Horror Stories
Spreadsheet errors have contributed to arrests, collapsing businesses, diplomatic incidents and more.
We have compiled, and continue to compile, a list of Spreadsheet Horror stories reported in the media, both online and in traditional outlets.
There is a good chance that you will have suffered from the knock-on effects of a spreadsheet error, but has it ever been as bad as any of these?
Northern Ireland police officers’ details exposed in ‘monumental’ breach
The Guardian – 8th August, 2023
Spreadsheet posted online contained sensitive data about police officers.
https://www.theguardian.com
Wrong Winner Declared In Austrian Opposition Party Leadership Election
Washington Post – 6 June, 2023
Austrian Political Party elects the losing candidate due to an Excel Spreadsheet error.
https://www.washingtonpost.com
Fishing Boat Diplomacy
ITV News – 29 October, 2021
UK ‘spreadsheet error’ keeping British trawler detained in France, say sources
https://www.itv.com
Bank of England Fine
The Guardian – 20 December, 2021
Standard Chartered fined £46.5m by Bank of England over reporting failures.
https://www.theguardian.com
Empty Hospital
The Scotsman -20 April, 2022
Hospital lies empty for two years whilst costing NHS trust £1.4m per month.
https://www.scotsman.com
Research Grants
The Irish Times – 19 October, 2021
Government grants awarded to researchers in error due to spreadsheet mistake
https://www.irishtimes.com
Vaccination Records Leaked
Newswatch 12 – 19 October, 2021
OSP officers’ union hints at legal action after state official accidentally shares state employee vaccination info
https://www.kdrv.com
Covid Assistance Payments
The Colorado Sun – 25 October, 2021
Colorado’s COVID rent-assistance program may have paid up to $4.4 million in error, audit finds
https://coloradosun.com
Incorrect taxes levied
The Gazette – 1 October, 2021
Council charges incorrect taxes
https://www.thegazette.com
Grant Thornton fined £2.3m
Daily Telegraph – 27 September, 2021
Grant Thornton fined £2.3m for Patisserie Valerie failures
https://www.telegraph.co.uk
Travel Traffic Lights
The Independent – 24 July, 2021
Is France on the Amber Plus list due to a spreadsheet error?
https://www.independent.co.uk
Canadian Furlough Errors
Vaughan Today – 25 January, 2021
The spreadsheet that Canadian employers were required to fill in to apply for Emergency Wage Support was full of errors.
https://www.vaughantoday.ca
Flight delays
CBS Chicago – 13 January, 2021
Flight delays caused by spreadsheet error.
https://chicago.cbslocal.com
Covid Infection Rates
Perry County News – 29 December, 2020
Positivity rates could rise statewide due to miscalculation
https://www.perrycountynews.com
Data Security Issues with ICO
Computer Weekly – 7 December, 2020
HMRC referred 11 data security incidents to ICO in 2019-20
https://www.computerweekly.com
ITV breach Ofcom rules
BBC News – 7 December, 2020
ITV breached Ofcom competition rules over postal votes
https://www.bbc.co.uk
Law students receive wrong grades.
The Lane Report – 7 December, 2020
Law students receive wrong results from state
https://www.lanereport.com
Covid Fatalities
Guardian – 25 November, 2020
Data glitch ‘may have led to more than 1,500 Covid deaths in England’
https://www.theguardian.com
Brazil Health Dept. Data Leak
Tech Times – 26 November, 2020
Brazil’s Health Ministry Password Leak
https://www.techtimes.com
NHS Patient Data Exposed
Infosecurity Magazine – 27 November, 2020
NHS Error Exposes Data on Hundreds of Patients and Staff
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com
Unreported Covid Cases
The Daily Telegraph – 4 November, 2020
Thousands of positive Covid19 tests go unreported for days due to spreadsheet error
https://www.telegraph.co.uk
US Voting Fraud Accusations
Politifact – 7 November, 2020
Spreadsheet error causes accusation of voting fraud in US 2020 Presidential election
https://www.politifact.com
US Voting Recount Required
Des Moines Register – 6 November, 2020
Vote recount required in US 2020 election after spreadsheet error during copy and paste!
https://eu.desmoinesregister.com
Hospital Opening Delayed
BBC News – 26 August, 2020
Spreadsheet error led to Edinburgh hospital opening delay. https://www.bbc.com
Maths Errors
The Sunday Times – 14 April, 2019
Humble Pi author Matt Parker’s comedy of maths errors. https://www.thetimes.co.uk
School Construction Halted
The Brookings Register – 27 March, 2019
School construction halted due to incorrect bids. https://brookingsregister.com
Patient Data Leaked
Health IT Security – 13 Dec 2018
Patient Data leaked due to emailing of unencrypted spreadsheet.
https://healthitsecurity.com
Council Payment Errors
The Times Record – 07 Dec 2018
City Council Budget & Payment Errors https://www.timesrecord.com
Festival Budget Overspend
The Canberra Times – 23 July 2018
Festival budget overspend due to Excel error https://www.canberratimes.com.au
Council Overspends
Deeside.com – 12 July 2018
Council accidentally breaches its lending limit by £2 million http://www.deeside.com
KPMG Audits Error-ridden
Independent – 03 July 2018
KPMG audits full of spreadsheet errors https://www.independent.co.uk
Wrong Exam Results
Komo News – 19 Feb 2016
Seattle students sent wrong exam results
http://komonews.com
ESRIG Conference
Financial Times – 21 Jul 2015
FT reports from 16th Annual conference of the European Spreadsheet Risks Interest Group in London
http://www.ft.com
Share Trading Suspended
Financial Times Blog ‘Alphaville’ – 29 Jun 2015
Law firm Slater and Gordon share trading suspended due to accidental mis-reporting due to spreadsheet error
http://ftalphaville.ft.com
Cycling Statistics Wrong
StreetsBlog San Fransisco – 22 Jun 2015
Cycling statistics misreported when traffic lane layouts changed
http://sf.streetsblog.org
Evidence Not Supplied
Guardian – 19 Jun 2015
Sydney Siege review not given letter because of spreadsheet tab error
http://www.theguardian.com
Public Body Overcharges
Melbourne Herald Sun – 25 May 2015
Local Government Association overcharges councils for membership over a 10 year period
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/
WI Miss Buck House Invite
Telegraph – 16 May 2015
WI members miss out on Buck House tea party due to admin spreadsheet error
http://www.telegraph.co.uk
Business Losses Suffered
Telegraph – 7 Apr 2015
20% of large businesses have suffered losses due to spreadsheet errors.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk
Spreadsheet Errors cost UK
The Actuary – 8 Apr 2015
Spreadsheet errors prove costly for UK companies
http://www.theactuary.com
Awards Error
Stuff.co.nz – 2 Apr 2015
Winner of Glammies forced to return trophy
http://www.stuff.co.nz
Sharesholders lose $Millions
Wall Street Journal – 16 Oct 2014
Spreadsheet Mistake Costs Tibco Shareholders $100 Million
http://blogs.wsj.com
Austerity Policy Evidence
Guardian – 18 Apr 2013
Austerity policy based on error-strewn economic paper
http://www.theguardian.com
Cyber Attack Threats
Guardian 4 Apr 2013
Spreadsheet risk and the threat of cyber attacks in finance
http://www.theguardian.com
Rail Franchising Process
Accounting Web – 10 Oct 2012
West Coast mainline franchising process restarted
http://www.accountingweb.co.uk
Olympic Tickets Over-Sold
Telegraph – 4 Jan 2012
London 2012 Olympics tickets over-sold
http://www.telegraph.co.uk
Incorrect ONS Figures
Telegraph – 30 Sep 2011
Office for National Statistics releases incorrect figures
http://www.telegraph.co.uk
Erroneuous Arrest
Telegraph – 1 Nov 2010
Bus driver arrested for stealing fares
http://www.telegraph.co.uk
MI5 Wasting Time
Guardian – 1 Jul 2011
MI5 track wrong phone numbers
http://www.theguardian.com
Incorrect Vote Counting
Guardian – 20 Jun 2007
Votes not initially counted in election
http://www.theguardian.com
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