Targeted Edits

You've built a comprehensive financial model. Now the company reports Q3 actuals and you need to update your projections. The last thing you want is Shortcut rewriting your entire model when you only need to update one section.

Targeted Edits solves this. Select exactly where you want changes—specific tabs, cell ranges, or sections—and Shortcut confines all edits to that focus area. The rest of your model remains untouched.

How Targeted Edits Work

In the Excel Plugin

  1. Open your DCF model
  2. Select the "Revenue Projections" section (rows 10-25)
  3. Click "Add to Focus"
  4. Prompt: "Update revenue growth assumptions"
  5. Only those rows change—everything else stays perfect

In the Web App

Click "Targeted Edit Mode" at the top of your spreadsheet. Select the range you want to modify, then your prompt applies only to that area.

Toggle off Targeted Edit Mode to return to full-sheet editing.

Common Use Cases

Updating Models with New Data

You've built a three-statement model based on fiscal year data. Now Q1 actuals arrive. Focus on your Actuals columns, upload the Q1 financials via PDF upload, and prompt: "Update Q1 actuals and refresh the forecast logic."

Scenario Analysis in Live Meetings

Leadership asks: "What if we accelerate the sales hiring plan by two months?"

Focus on Operating Expenses → Sales Headcount. Prompt: "Accelerate sales hiring by 2 months and flow through to revenue ramp timing." Get the answer in 30 seconds while still on the call.

Fixing Isolated Issues

You notice the Revenue section has some inconsistent formatting after a large data import. Focus on the problematic section, prompt: "Clean up formatting and fix formula errors in this section." The fix is isolated, preserving your working sections.

Why This Matters for Professional Finance

Speed

Dramatically faster than full-model rebuilds. Sub-30-second response times when updating specific sections.

Control

Precise control over what changes. Critical when working with audited/reviewed models where most sections are locked down.

Confidence

When presenting to senior stakeholders, you need certainty that changes won't break working sections. Targeted edits provide that safety net.

When to Use What

Use Targeted Edits when:

  • Updating specific sections with new data
  • Adding new analysis to existing models
  • Fixing isolated issues
  • Need speed (processing less data = faster results)

Use Full-Model Editing when:

  • Building models from scratch
  • Major restructuring across multiple sections
  • Changes have cascading effects across tabs

Key Takeaways

  • Precision Control - Select specific cells, ranges, or tabs to edit
  • Sub-30 Second Updates - Faster processing when working with focused areas
  • Safe Modifications - Rest of model remains untouched and intact
  • Perfect for Updates - Ideal for refreshing models with new data
  • Live Meeting Ready - Make scenario changes in real-time during calls