TenderMatrix / Guides / Response matrix in Excel
Proposal response matrix in Excel: structure, status, filters
A proposal response matrix in Excel is one sheet with a row per requirement, a single header row and no merged cells. Drop-down lists keep Type and Status consistent, filters give each owner a view, and a few COUNTIFS formulas show what is still open before you submit.
What the workbook has to do
The response matrix is the working copy of the compliance matrix: one row per requirement, with an owner, a status and the place where the answer lives. Excel suits it because everyone can open, filter and sort it. Its weaknesses are free-typed values, copies that drift apart and formulas that quietly stop covering the rows. Most of the setup below prevents those three.
Compliance matrix explained covers the columns, and the compliance matrix template is a free twelve-column download. After award, the project team builds a different table from the same requirements; see traceability matrix vs compliance matrix.
Setting it up in seven steps
- Use one sheet and one header row Put titles in row 1, with no merged cells, blank rows or totals row inside the data, because sorting and filtering stop at them. Keep notes and totals on other sheets.
- Fix the column order early Requirement details first, then Type, Owner, Status and Response, with your own columns added to the right. Formulas and pasted rows depend on column positions.
- Agree the status values and lock them in Use a short list such as Open, Assigned, Drafting, In review, Done and Clarify, with Done meaning reviewed and placed in the response. Then select the column and use Data Validation on the Data tab (menu names vary by version) to allow only those values. Do the same for Type.
- Freeze the header and turn on filters Freeze the top row, turn on the filter row and wrap the Requirement column at a fixed width. Owners then filter on their own name, and the proposal manager filters Type to Mandatory and Status to anything but Done. The status bar usually shows how many rows match.
- Add a Stats sheet Put the formulas below on a separate sheet. Whole-column references such as Matrix!E:E keep covering rows as the matrix grows.
- Shade what needs attention Add a conditional formatting rule that uses a formula, such as =AND($E2="Mandatory", $G2<>"Done"), applied to the data range. Adjust the column letters to your layout.
- Control the master copy Keep one master in one shared location, let one person change the structure, and save a dated copy at the kickoff, the first draft and the final review.
Formulas that show what is open
These assume a sheet named Matrix with Type in column E, Owner in F, Status in G and Response in H, as in the twelve-column layout and the template's Stats sheet.
| Question | Formula | Reading it |
|---|---|---|
| Rows in the matrix | =COUNTA(Matrix!A:A)-1 | Filled Req IDs, less the header |
| Mandatory rows | =COUNTIF(Matrix!E:E,"Mandatory") | Repeat for the other types |
| Mandatory, not Done | =COUNTIFS(Matrix!E:E,"Mandatory",Matrix!G:G,"<>Done") | A blank Status counts as not Done |
| Mandatory, no Owner | =COUNTIFS(Matrix!E:E,"Mandatory",Matrix!F:F,"") | Should be zero after the kickoff |
| Mandatory, no Response | =COUNTIFS(Matrix!E:E,"Mandatory",Matrix!H:H,"") | Should be zero before submission |
| Rows in Clarify | =COUNTIF(Matrix!G:G,"Clarify") | Each needs a question or a written assumption |
| Rows for one owner | =COUNTIF(Matrix!F:F,A2) | A2 holds the owner's name |
Two cautions. COUNTIF totals ignore filters, so they describe the whole sheet. And COUNTIF and COUNTIFS can return wrong results or an error when the text being matched is over 255 characters, as Requirement cells can be, so match on short fields such as Req ID. Check the first totals against a filtered count.
What goes wrong in the workbook
- Merged cells and blank rows. Sorting and filtering stop at them, so rows below can fall outside the filter.
- Free-typed statuses. Done followed by a space is not counted as Done. Use the drop-down list.
- Ranges that stop short. A formula covering rows 2 to 200 ignores row 201. Use whole columns or an Excel table.
- CSV surprises. Opened by double-click, a CSV can turn section 3.10 into 3.1 and 1-2 into a date. Use the Data tab's text import and set Req ID and Section to Text, or work from an XLSX.
- Addendum rows pasted outside the table. Filters and totals miss them. Tracking RFP amendments covers the routine.
How TenderMatrix helps
TenderMatrix produces the first version of this workbook. Its Excel download has a Matrix sheet with the twelve columns and a filter row, and a Stats sheet with counts as of export. You can set Owner and Status in the browser first, with a bulk apply to the rows shown, and Response comes out empty. Neither the export nor the free template has drop-down lists, so add them yourself. The export's Stats sheet does not recalculate; the template's uses COUNTIF formulas. Try it on the RFP to Excel page. Free: 1 file per day, up to 10 pages, no account. Files over 10 pages are converted up to page 10 on the free allowance; a page code converts the whole file, up to 150 pages. See pricing.
Questions bid teams ask
Should I use Excel or a proposal management tool?
Excel is enough for many bids because everyone can open it. Dedicated proposal software adds permissions, workflows and answer libraries, which matter more for large teams and frequent bids.
What columns should the matrix have?
At least Req ID, Section, Page, Requirement, Type, Owner, Status, Response and Notes. The template page lists twelve. Add a column only if someone will filter or report on it.
What status values should I use?
A short list: Open, Assigned, Drafting, In review, Done and Clarify. Write down what each means, especially Done. More values mean more updating, and updating is what teams skip.
How do I stop people typing their own statuses?
Use Data Validation on the Status column to allow a list of values. People can still paste over a validated cell, so now and then open the column's filter list, which shows each distinct value in use.
How do I see only my rows?
Turn on the filter row, open the Owner list and tick your name, then filter Status to hide Done rows. Clear the filters before saving so others see every row.
Do these formulas count rows hidden by a filter?
Yes. COUNTIF and COUNTIFS count every row in the range, hidden or not. For counts that follow the filter, use SUBTOTAL, or read the row count in the status bar.