How To Compare Excel Spreadsheets Side By Side: A Guide

Comparing Excel spreadsheets side by side is a common task for professionals, students, and anyone who works with data. At COMPARE.EDU.VN, we provide the solutions that offer a comprehensive overview of techniques and tools to make this process efficient and accurate. Discover methods to view spreadsheets simultaneously, identify discrepancies, and merge data effectively using formulas, conditional formatting, and specialized third-party software. Unlock the full potential of your spreadsheet comparisons with our expert insights into data analysis, discrepancy identification, and efficient data merging strategies.

1. Comparing Excel Spreadsheets by Viewing Them Side by Side

This method is perfect for smaller spreadsheets where you can visually spot differences. Excel offers a built-in feature to view spreadsheets side by side, making direct comparison easy.

1.1 Compare Two Excel Workbooks Simultaneously

If you have two separate Excel files, such as monthly sales reports, viewing them side by side can quickly reveal performance changes.

Open the Workbooks: Begin by opening both Excel files you want to compare.
Activate View Side by Side: Go to the View tab and click the View Side by Side button in the Window group.

By default, Excel arranges the windows horizontally. For a vertical arrangement:

Click the Arrange All button.
Select Vertical.

With both windows arranged, you can easily scroll through the data in tandem.

1.2 Synchronous Scrolling for Precise Comparison

To scroll through both spreadsheets simultaneously, enable Synchronous Scrolling:

Find this option on the View tab, in the Window group, directly below the View Side by Side button.

Synchronous scrolling ensures that as you move down one spreadsheet, the other moves in sync, allowing for row-by-row comparison.

1.3 Managing Multiple Excel Windows for Comparison

When you need to compare more than two Excel files, Excel allows you to manage multiple windows.

Open All Workbooks: Open all Excel files you intend to compare.
Use View Side by Side: Click the View Side by Side button to bring up the Compare Side by Side dialog box.
Select Files: Choose which files to display alongside the active workbook.

Alternatively, use the Arrange All button to tile, arrange horizontally, vertically, or cascade all open Excel files.

1.4 Comparing Two Sheets in the Same Workbook

To compare two sheets within the same Excel file, use the “New Window” feature.

Open a New Window: Open your Excel file and click the New Window button on the View tab in the Window group.
Enable View Side by Side: Activate View Side by Side mode.
Select Sheets: Choose the two sheets you want to compare in each window.

This method is particularly useful for ensuring consistency between related data within a single file.

2. Comparing Excel Sheets for Differences in Values Using Formulas

For a more detailed comparison, use Excel formulas to identify specific cells with differing values. This method creates a “difference report” highlighting discrepancies.

2.1 Setting Up the Comparison Formula

Open a New Sheet: Create a new, blank sheet in your Excel workbook.
Enter the Formula: In cell A1, enter the following formula:

=IF(Sheet1!A1<>Sheet2!A1, "Sheet1:"&Sheet1!A1&" vs Sheet2:"&Sheet2!A1, "")

Sheet1 and Sheet2 refer to the names of the sheets you are comparing.
Apply the Formula: Drag the fill handle (the small square at the bottom-right of the cell) to copy the formula across columns and down rows.

2.2 Understanding the Formula Output

The formula compares corresponding cells in Sheet1 and Sheet2. If the values differ, the formula displays the values from both sheets. If the values are identical, the cell remains blank.

Note that dates may appear as serial numbers due to Excel’s internal storage format.

3. Highlighting Differences with Conditional Formatting

Conditional formatting is an effective way to visually highlight cells with different values across two sheets.

3.1 Applying Conditional Formatting Rules

Select the Range: In the sheet where you want to highlight differences, select all used cells by clicking the upper-left cell (usually A1) and pressing Ctrl + Shift + End.
Create a New Rule:
- Go to the Home tab, Styles group, and click Conditional Formatting > New Rule.
- Select “Use a formula to determine which cells to format.”
- Enter the following formula: =A1<>Sheet2!A1
  
  Replace Sheet2 with the name of the sheet you are comparing.
Choose Formatting: Click the Format button, select the desired formatting (e.g., fill color), and click OK.
Apply the Rule: Click OK in the “New Formatting Rule” dialog box to apply the rule.

3.2 Advantages and Limitations

Conditional formatting quickly highlights discrepancies but has limitations:

Value Comparison Only: It only compares cell values, not formulas or formatting.
Row and Column Sensitivity: Adding or deleting rows/columns in one sheet misaligns the comparison.
Sheet-Level Only: It does not detect workbook-level structural differences (e.g., added or deleted sheets).

4. Using the Compare and Merge Feature for Shared Workbooks

The “Compare and Merge” feature is valuable when merging different versions of a shared Excel file, particularly when multiple users collaborate.

4.1 Preparing a Workbook for Sharing

Share the Workbook:
- Go to the Review tab, Changes group, and click Share Workbook.
- Check the box that says “Allow Changes by More Than One User…“
- Click OK and save the workbook if prompted.
Track Changes: Sharing a workbook automatically turns on the Track Changes feature.
Save Copies: Each user must save a copy of the shared workbook with a unique file name.

4.2 Enabling the Compare and Merge Workbooks Feature

The “Compare and Merge Workbooks” command is not visible by default. Add it to the Quick Access Toolbar:

Customize Quick Access Toolbar:
- Click the dropdown arrow on the Quick Access Toolbar and select More Commands.
- In the Excel Options dialog, choose All Commands from the “Choose commands from” dropdown.
- Scroll down to Compare and Merge Workbooks, select it, and click Add.
- Click OK.

4.3 Merging Workbooks

Open the Primary Workbook: Open the original, shared version of the workbook.
Click Compare and Merge Workbooks: Select the Compare and Merge Workbooks command from the Quick Access Toolbar.
Select Copies: Choose the copies of the shared workbook to merge and click OK.

4.4 Reviewing Changes

Highlight Changes:
- Go to the Review tab, Changes group, and click Track Changes > Highlight Changes.
- In the Highlight Changes dialog, select All in the When box, Everyone in the Who box, clear the Where box, and check Highlight changes on screen.
- Click OK.

Excel highlights column letters and row numbers with differences in dark red. Individual cell edits are marked with different colors. Hovering over a cell reveals who made the change.

5. Third-Party Tools for Advanced Excel Comparison

While Excel offers built-in tools, they might not suffice for comprehensive comparisons. Third-party tools provide advanced features to compare, merge, and update Excel spreadsheets, spotting differences in values, formulas, and formatting.

5.1 Synkronizer Excel Compare: Comprehensive Tool for Excel Comparison

The Synkronizer Excel Compare add-in is a versatile tool for comparing, merging, and updating Excel files, saving you the effort of manual searching.

Key features include:

Difference Identification: Quickly identifies differences between two Excel sheets.
Merge Capabilities: Combines multiple Excel files into a single version without creating duplicates.
Highlighting: Highlights differences in both sheets.
Customization: Shows only the differences relevant to your task.
Reporting: Provides detailed, easy-to-read difference reports.

5.1.1 Comparing Two Excel Files with Synkronizer

Consider a scenario where you have two versions of a participant list for an event.

Run Synkronizer Excel Compare: Go to the Add-ins tab and click the Synchronizer 11 icon.
Select Workbooks: In the Synkronizer pane, select the two workbooks to compare.

Select Sheets: Choose the sheets to compare. Synkronizer automatically matches sheets with the same names.

Comparison Options: Select the comparison option that best fits your needs:
- Compare as normal worksheets
- Compare with link options
- Compare as database
- Compare selected ranges
Content Types: Choose the content types to compare, such as comments, names, and formats.
Start Comparison: Click the big red Start button.

5.1.2 Visualizing and Analyzing Differences

Synkronizer generates two types of summary reports:

Summary Report: Shows all difference types at a glance.
Detailed Difference Report: Provides a comprehensive breakdown of differences.

Clicking on a difference in the detailed report selects the corresponding cells in both sheets.

You can also create a hyperlinked report in a separate workbook for easy navigation.

5.1.3 Comparing All Sheets in Multiple Workbooks

Synkronizer can compare all matching worksheet pairs simultaneously, providing a comprehensive summary report.

5.1.4 Highlighting Differences

Synkronizer highlights differences by default, using:

Yellow for cell value differences.
Lilac for cell format differences.
Green for inserted rows.

You can customize highlighting to focus on relevant differences by using the Outline button.

5.1.5 Updating and Merging Sheets

The merge function allows you to transfer individual cells or columns/rows from the source to the target sheet.

Update differences by selecting them in the Synkronizer pane and clicking one of the four update buttons.

5.2 Ablebits Compare Sheets for Excel: Streamlined Comparison Tool

Ablebits Compare Sheets for Excel offers a user-friendly approach to comparing worksheets.

Key features include:

Step-by-Step Wizard: Guides you through the comparison process.
Comparison Algorithms: Choose the algorithm best suited for your data.
Review Differences Mode: Presents compared sheets in a side-by-side view for easy management.

5.2.1 Comparing Two Worksheets with Ablebits

Start Compare Sheets: Click the Compare Sheets button on the Ablebits Data tab.
Select Worksheets: Choose the two worksheets to compare.

Comparison Algorithm: Select the appropriate algorithm:
- No key columns (for sheet-based documents)
- By key columns (for column-organized sheets with unique identifiers)
- Cell-by-cell (for spreadsheets with the same layout and size)
Match Type: Choose the preferred match type:
- First match
- Best match
- Full match only
Specify Differences: Choose which differences to highlight and which to ignore.
Compare: Click the Compare button to begin the comparison.

5.2.2 Reviewing and Merging Differences

The worksheets are opened in Review Differences mode, with differences highlighted.

Differences are highlighted with default colors:

Blue for rows only in Sheet 1.
Red for rows only in Sheet 2.
Green for different cells in partially matching rows.

Use the toolbar to navigate through the differences and choose to merge or ignore them.

5.3 Additional Third-Party Tools

xlCompare: Compares workbooks, sheets, and VBA projects, identifying and merging differences.
Change Pro for Excel: Compares Excel sheets on desktop and mobile devices, highlighting differences in formulas, values, and layouts.

6. Online Services for Quick Excel Comparison

Online services offer a quick way to compare Excel sheets without installing software.

6.1 Using Online Comparison Tools

Services like XLComparator and CloudyExcel allow you to upload two Excel files and highlight the differences in the active sheets.

These tools can quickly highlight differences with color-coding.

7. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How can I compare two Excel files without software?

You can use online services like XLComparator or CloudyExcel to upload and compare Excel files without installing any software.
What is the best way to compare two large Excel files?

For large files, third-party tools like Synkronizer Excel Compare or Ablebits Compare Sheets for Excel are recommended due to their advanced features and efficiency.
Can I compare Excel files on mobile devices?

Yes, you can use tools like Change Pro for Excel, which supports comparisons on mobile devices.
How do I highlight differences in Excel?

Use conditional formatting or third-party tools like Synkronizer Excel Compare to highlight differences automatically.
What does the “Compare and Merge” feature do?

The “Compare and Merge” feature combines changes from multiple copies of a shared workbook into one file, useful for collaborative projects.
How do I add the “Compare and Merge Workbooks” command to Excel?

Add it through Excel Options > Quick Access Toolbar > All Commands.
Can I compare just a portion of two Excel sheets?

Yes, tools like Synkronizer Excel Compare allow you to compare selected ranges within sheets.
What if my Excel sheets have different layouts?

Choose comparison algorithms that can handle different layouts, such as the “No key columns” option in Ablebits Compare Sheets for Excel.
How do I ignore certain differences during comparison?

Many tools offer options to filter out differences, such as ignoring case, spaces, or hidden rows/columns.
Is it safe to use online Excel comparison services?

While convenient, be cautious when using online services with sensitive data due to security concerns.

8. Conclusion: Simplifying Spreadsheet Comparisons with COMPARE.EDU.VN

Comparing Excel spreadsheets efficiently is essential for accuracy and decision-making. Whether you use Excel’s built-in features or opt for advanced third-party tools, understanding these methods is crucial.

At COMPARE.EDU.VN, we aim to simplify the comparison process by offering comprehensive guides and expert recommendations. Explore our resources to find the best approach for your needs.

Need more assistance? Contact us at:

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