Comparing two Excel files to identify differences can be a daunting task, especially when dealing with large datasets or complex spreadsheets. Whether you are auditing financial records, tracking changes in project data, or simply ensuring data consistency, pinpointing discrepancies efficiently is crucial. Microsoft Spreadsheet Compare is a powerful tool designed to streamline this process, allowing you to easily Compare 2 Excel Files For Differences. This guide will walk you through how to use Spreadsheet Compare to quickly and accurately identify changes between your Excel workbooks.
Opening Spreadsheet Compare
Microsoft Spreadsheet Compare is a utility that comes bundled with specific versions of Microsoft Office. It’s important to note that this tool is available with Office Professional Plus 2013, Office Professional Plus 2016, Office Professional Plus 2019, or Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise. If you have one of these versions, you can access it directly from your Start menu.
To open Spreadsheet Compare, navigate to your Start screen and look for Spreadsheet Compare. If you don’t immediately see it, simply start typing “Spreadsheet Compare,” and the option should appear for you to select.
Step-by-Step Guide to Compare Two Excel Workbooks
Once you have Spreadsheet Compare open, comparing your Excel files is a straightforward process. Follow these steps to effectively compare excel files for differences:
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Initiate the comparison by clicking Home > Compare Files. This action will open the Compare Files dialog box, which is your starting point for selecting the files you wish to analyze.
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Specify the original file by clicking the blue folder icon located next to the Compare box. This will allow you to browse your file system to locate the earlier version of your Excel workbook. You can select files from your local computer, network drives, or even enter a web address if your workbooks are saved online.
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Next, indicate the revised file by clicking the green folder icon next to the To box. Browse to the location of the more recent workbook that you want to compare against the earlier version. After selecting the file, click OK to confirm your selections in the dialog box. Remember, you can even compare 2 excel files for differences that have the same name but are stored in different folders.
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Customize your comparison by choosing the aspects you want to examine. In the left pane of the Compare Files dialog, you’ll find a list of options such as Formulas, Macros, and Cell Format. Select the checkboxes next to the elements you want to include in your comparison report. For a comprehensive analysis, you can simply click Select All.
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Execute the comparison by clicking OK. Spreadsheet Compare will then analyze the selected files based on your chosen options.
If you encounter an “Unable to open workbook” message, it’s likely that one of the Excel files is password protected. Click OK on the message and you will be prompted to enter the password for the protected workbook.
Understanding the Comparison Results
After running the comparison, the results are displayed in an intuitive two-pane grid. The left pane shows the “Compare” file (typically the older version), and the right pane displays the “To” file (usually the newer one). A detailed pane below the grids provides a legend and specific information about the identified differences.
Changes are highlighted using color-coding to quickly draw your attention to specific types of modifications. For instance, cells containing “entered values” (non-formula cells) that have been modified are typically marked with a green fill color in the grid and a green font in the results list. The legend in the lower-left pane clearly explains what each color signifies, making it easy to interpret the comparison findings at a glance.
In the side-by-side grid, each worksheet from the compared files is matched and displayed. If your workbooks contain multiple worksheets, you can navigate through them using the forward and back buttons on the horizontal scroll bar. It’s important to note that even hidden worksheets are included in the comparison and presented in the results.
If cell contents are truncated due to column width, you can easily view the full content by clicking Resize Cells to Fit, ensuring no detail is missed during your review.
Leveraging Excel’s Inquire Add-in
For users of Excel 2013 and later, the Inquire add-in offers additional analytical capabilities beyond Spreadsheet Compare. While Spreadsheet Compare is excellent for directly comparing 2 excel files for differences, the Inquire add-in provides tools within Excel to analyze workbooks, visualize relationships between cells and worksheets, and even clean up excessive formatting.
To access these features, you need to activate the Inquire add-in, which adds an “Inquire” tab to your Excel ribbon. From this tab, you can perform workbook analysis and gain deeper insights into your spreadsheets. If you have both workbooks open in Excel and want to use Spreadsheet Compare, you can launch it directly from the Inquire tab using the “Compare Files” command, providing a seamless workflow for advanced Excel users.
Conclusion
Microsoft Spreadsheet Compare is an invaluable tool for anyone who needs to compare excel files for differences. Its user-friendly interface and clear visual results make it easy to quickly identify changes, errors, or inconsistencies between different versions of your workbooks. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can effectively utilize Spreadsheet Compare to maintain data integrity, audit changes, and ensure accuracy in your Excel spreadsheets. Whether you are a business professional, data analyst, or anyone working with Excel, mastering Spreadsheet Compare will significantly enhance your productivity and data management capabilities.
