Investigate Excel outliers before excluding them from analysis.
A monthly customer revenue table has one account showing $1.2M when the typical account is $8K to $40K. The average jumps and the sales lead wants the row deleted. NIST outlier guidance separates labeling, accommodation, and identification. In Excel terms: flag the point, investigate it, and choose a method before deletion. The common trap is to treat the first working formula or chart as the answer, even when the data grain, filters, or assumptions have not been checked. Label Add an Outlier_Flag column using IQR or modified z-score logic. A flag keeps the original row visible instead of turning judgment…
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