A method includes establishing a connection with a spreadsheet at a source location, receiving at least one selected field from an entry in the spreadsheet at the source location, and generating an assured reference record for the entry using at least one value in the at least one selected field. The assured reference record includes an assurance value and a reference to the entry at the source location. The method further includes storing, at a second location, the assured reference record in an assured reference file associated with the spreadsheet. The method further includes validating, after storing the assured reference record, the reference to the first entry in the spreadsheet at the source location using the first assurance value in the assured reference record.