Excel does have one good layer of mistake prevention when someone is typing in a formula: it checks that all the syntax is correct. In normal computer programming, you can easily leave a spare bracket somewhere or miss putting in a comma. Which leaves you swearing loudly at a semicolon at 3 a.m. (“What the heck are you doing there?”), or so I’ve heard. Excel at least does a cursory check that all your punctuation is in order.
