How to Compare Two Excel Files for Differences

If you use Microsoft Excel for data management and analysis, chances are at some point you’ll have to compare two Excel files for differences. Manually comparing files cell by cell can be time-consuming and prone to mistakes. Fortunately, Microsoft Excel provides several built-in tools to make this process easier. In this blog post, I’ll guide you through the steps of comparing two Excel files for differences, so you can quickly and accurately identify discrepancies between them.

Step 1: Open the Two Excel Files

The first step in comparing two Excel files is to open both files in Microsoft Excel. To make things simpler, try to keep both files open in separate windows and arrange them side by side on your screen. This will make it easier to navigate between the two files and compare them.

Step 2: Activate Excel’s Compare Files Feature

To quickly compare the two Excel files for differences, you can activate Excel’s built-in Compare Files feature. To do this:

1. Click on the Review tab in the ribbon at the top of the Excel window.
2. Select the Compare Files option in the Compare group.
3. In the Compare Files dialog box that appears, select the two Excel files you want to compare and click OK.

Excel will then open a new workbook with the results of the comparison displayed in a new worksheet.

Step 3: Analyze the Comparison Results

Excel’s Compare Files feature will highlight any differences between the two Excel files and provide a side-by-side comparison of the corresponding cells. The results will be displayed in a new worksheet in the workbook that opened in step 2.

You can use the following tools to analyze the comparison results:

Color Coding

Excel uses color coding to highlight differences between the two files. Cells with changes will be color-coded:

• Green: Cells that have been added to the file in the right-most column.
• Red: Cells that have been deleted from the file in the left-most column.
• Blue: Cells that have been modified in either file.

Compare cells with the same color-coding to quickly identify the differences between the two files.

Filtering

Use Excel’s filtering option to quickly sift through the differences and focus on specific data. The filter button is found on Excel’s ribbon interface – Data tab > Sort & Filter group > Filter button.

An example scenario might be to filter for all green cells in the right-hand column. This filter selection will display only the cells that exist uniquely in the right-hand column. This way, the user can focus on the cells that were added to the right file only.

Conclusion

Using Excel’s Compare Files feature can help you quickly and easily identify discrepancies between two Excel files, saving you time and reducing errors. Consider using this tip next time you need to compare two files!

Other Tools to Compare Excel Files for Differences

While Excel’s Compare Files feature is an excellent tool to quickly check for differences between two Excel files, it’s not always the best option for complex tasks. Here are some alternative tools that can help you compare Excel files for differences:

Conditional Formatting

Excel’s conditional formatting feature allows you to add formatting rules to specific cells based on their content. You could use this feature to highlight the differences in cells between two Excel files. This process could be time-consuming too, especially if you have to do it manually. However, there are a few pre-built templates that can do the work for you too.

VBA Scripting

VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) is a powerful coding language that you can use to automate complex tasks in Excel. You can also create custom scripts that compare two Excel files and highlight the differences for you. VBA programs can be downloaded or created by users who possess coding skills.

Conclusion

Knowing how to compare two Excel files for differences is an essential skill for anyone who frequently works with data. Excel provides several built-in tools that make this process easier, such as the Compare Files feature. To compare Excel files for differences, all you need to do is open two files, activate Excel’s tool, and analyze the results. Alternatively, you could use other tools such as conditional formatting or VBA scripting to accomplish more complex tasks.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about comparing two Excel files for differences:

Can I compare Excel files in different versions of Microsoft Excel?

Yes, you can compare Excel files created in different versions of Excel using the Compare Files feature. However, some features may not be supported if you are using different versions.

How can I ensure the compared files have been thoroughly checked?

One of the ways to ensure that you have checked the compared Excel files is by using multiple comparison tests. With different comparison tests, you can identify different types of differences, such as misalignments (using spreadsheet comparison tools), spelling errors (with text comparison tools), or formatting changes (by eye).

Is it necessary to have the files arranged side-by-side for easy comparison?

While it helps to have the files arranged side-by-side, it is not necessary. You can get by with having both files open and navigating back and forth between windows or tabs to compare cells. A useful tip is to use Excel’s “View Side by Side” feature (located within the “View” tab) to get a better view of both files concurrently.

How do I compare more than two Excel files?

You can compare more than two Excel files by using Excel’s “Compare and Merge Workbooks” feature. This feature is useful when you need to compare multiple versions of the same Excel file. You can locate this feature under the Split dropdown within the “Compare Files” feature.

Can I compare Excel files with different structures?

Excel’s Compare Files feature is suitable for comparing Excel files with different structures. However, if the differences are in the structure of the workbook (e.g., column/row structure), this function may malfunction. Alternatively, you can use a specialized tool that is built for comparing structured Excel files.