Error checking/evaluation of a formula with errors (not the formula's output)

Hello, all.

What I am looking for is a way to check a large formula for errors. Not in erroneous calculations or output, but syntax error(s) or parenthesis errors and the like within the formula itself. In this situation a coworker is working on a very nice and functional set of workbooks. He tends to solve things with formulas. Earlier he asked me to look over his formula and the thing is HUGE. I mean like need-to-open-the-formula-window-11-more-lines huge (he has it currently saved as text) so a tiny detail like an extra parenthesis or something is very hard to find. When he tries to drop it in the formula window he gets an error saying there is a problem in the formula, and excel will not let him close the cell (with the error'd formula in it) so he can use F9 or click Evaluation under the formula tab.

I tried unchecking "Enable background error checking" as well as "Cells containing formulas that result in an error" as a last ditch effort to no avail. If there was a way to make excel allow the broken formula to be entered without complaining, that would be super.

Any advice? Thank you in advance

Perhaps you could post the formula here so we can see what you mean. There are usually many ways of reducing very long formulae to more manageable sizes.

Pete