This Privacy Policy explains how the Audit Tickmarks add-in for Microsoft Excel ("the Add-in"), published by Bosau Digital LLC and made by Sven Bosau, operating Python & VBA at pythonandvba.com ("we", "us", or "our"), handles your data. It applies specifically to the Add-in. Our general website Privacy Policy continues to apply to your use of our website.

1. In Short

• The Add-in runs entirely inside Microsoft Excel on your own device.
• Your spreadsheet contents never leave Excel. Tick marks, sign-offs, colors, legends, and reports are written directly into your workbook on your device.
• The Add-in's only network request is validating your license key (Pro users). If you use the free features without a license key, the Add-in makes no network requests at all.
• Your license key, settings, custom tick marks, and custom image marks are stored only in your local Office add-in storage on your device.
• The Add-in contains no advertising, no cookies, and no third-party analytics or tracking.

2. Who We Are

The Add-in is published and operated by Bosau Digital LLC, the company behind Python & VBA (pythonandvba.com), founded by Sven Bosau. For any privacy-related questions, please contact us at contact@pythonandvba.com.

3. What Data the Add-in Processes

Your Spreadsheet Data

Everything the Add-in does (inserting and removing tick marks, sign-offs, and numbered steps, stamping image marks, highlighting cells, drawing circles, boxes, arrows, and notes, attaching comments, and building the legend sheet and the open-items report) happens locally, inside Excel, on your device. The Add-in reads only the cells needed for the action you trigger and writes the results straight back into your workbook. We do not receive, process, store, or have any access to your workbook contents. Nothing you type, mark, or review is transmitted anywhere.

License Validation Data (Pro)

To confirm that you hold a valid Pro license, the Add-in sends the following to our license server (api.pythonandvba.com) over an encrypted connection:

• Your license key;
• An anonymous installation identifier, a random value generated on your device. It contains no name, email, or hardware/device information, and is used only to enforce the per-installation activation limit of your license;
• The Add-in version.

This check runs when the Add-in starts and when you save a license key. A record of your last successful check is stored on your device so Pro features keep working for a short offline grace period (currently 7 days) if the license server cannot be reached, and then re-verify once you are back online. If you never enter a license key, this request is never made.

Data Stored Locally on Your Device

Your license key, your settings (colors, placements, sign-off initials, theme), your custom tick marks, and your custom image marks (images you add are downscaled and stored as small pictures) are saved only in your local Office add-in storage (your per-user Office storage) on your device. The Export feature copies your custom marks to your clipboard as text so you can move them to another device; nothing is exported unless you trigger it. You can remove stored data at any time by deleting marks in the Add-in's Settings, clearing the key, or removing the Add-in.

Data Handled by Microsoft Excel

The Add-in runs inside Microsoft Excel (on Windows, Mac, the web, and iPad). Microsoft's handling of your Office documents and account data is governed by Microsoft's own privacy terms. See the Microsoft Privacy Statement.

4. Third-Party Services

The Add-in relies on only one third-party platform:

• Microsoft Excel / Microsoft 365: the host application in which the Add-in runs. See the Microsoft Privacy Statement.

No other third parties receive any data through the Add-in. We do not sell your personal data.

5. What the Add-in Does Not Do

• It does not include advertising, cookies, or third-party analytics or tracking.
• It does not send your workbook contents, marks, or reports to us or to anyone else.
• It does not send automatic error reports to us. Error messages are shown in the Add-in only. If you contact support, you can choose to copy a short diagnostic report (add-in version, Excel version, recent error messages: never your cells or keys) and include it yourself; nothing is transmitted unless you send it.
• It does not access hardware identifiers, your contacts, or files outside the workbook you are working in.

6. How We Use Data

• To validate and manage your Pro license and enforce its activation limit.
• To let Pro features keep working during a short offline grace period after a successful license check.

That is the complete list: the Add-in's features themselves require no data to be sent to us.

7. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA) or the United Kingdom, we process the limited license-validation data described above under the following legal bases:

• Contract performance: Verifying your license so we can provide the licensed Pro features.
• Legitimate interests: Enforcing license limits and preventing misuse of our software.

8. Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal data. The only data the Add-in transmits is the license-validation data described above, and it goes only to our license server. No other third parties receive your data through the Add-in.

9. Data Retention

• License records: Retained for as long as necessary to support your license and comply with legal obligations.
• Locally stored keys, settings, and custom marks: Remain on your device until you clear them or remove the Add-in.
• Workbook contents: Not retained, received, or seen by us at all.

10. Your Rights

If you are located in the EEA or UK, you have the following rights under GDPR in respect of the personal data we hold (essentially, your license record):

• Access: Request a copy of the data we hold about you
• Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate data
• Erasure: Request deletion of your data ("right to be forgotten")
• Restriction: Request that we limit how we use your data
• Portability: Request your data in a machine-readable format
• Objection: Object to processing based on legitimate interests

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at contact@pythonandvba.com. We will respond within 30 days.

11. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your data against unauthorised access, loss, or disclosure. License validation is transmitted over encrypted (HTTPS) connections. Everything else stays on your device.

12. Children's Privacy

The Add-in is not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will reflect any changes. Continued use of the Add-in after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

14. Contact

For any privacy-related questions or to exercise your rights, please contact:

Related documents: Audit Tickmarks Terms of Use · Website Privacy Policy · Refund Policy · Terms & Conditions