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How to compare two Excel files and find what changed

Quick answer

Upload both files, pick the column that identifies each row (like an ID), and the comparison shows exactly which rows were added, removed, or changed - and which specific values differ.

  1. 1Upload both files.
  2. 2Choose the column that identifies each row.
  3. 3Review what was added, removed or changed.
  4. 4Download the comparison.
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Two versions of a spreadsheet - this month's export against last month's, a draft against a final, one team's copy against another's - should usually match, or match with a known set of changes. Finding out what actually changed by scrolling through both files side by side does not scale past a few dozen rows.

This compares two files row by row, matched on whichever column identifies a record uniquely (an ID, an order number, an email), and reports precisely which rows were added, which were removed, and which exist in both but have different values - and in which specific columns.

Step by step

  1. Upload both files

    The earlier version and the later one, or any two versions you need to compare.

    Compare Spreadsheets

  2. Choose the identifying column

    Whichever column uniquely identifies a row in both files - an ID, reference number or email address.

    Compare Spreadsheets

  3. Review the differences

    Rows only in the first file, rows only in the second, and rows in both with different values - each shown separately.

    Compare Spreadsheets

  4. Download the comparison

    Export the full result, including exactly which columns changed on each modified row.

    Compare Spreadsheets

Tips

  • Choose an identifying column that is genuinely unique per row - a name is a weaker choice than an ID or reference number, since two different rows could share the same name.
  • If the two files use slightly different formatting for the same values (extra spaces, inconsistent casing), clean both first - a comparison, like a lookup, is thrown off by formatting differences that look identical to a person.
  • The result separates added, removed and changed rows rather than one long list - check the changed group first, since that is usually the smallest and most actionable.

Common problems

Rows that should be identical are showing as changed.

Check for a formatting difference in the compared columns - trailing spaces, different date formats, or numbers stored as text in one file and real numbers in the other will all register as a change even when the value is conceptually the same.

A row shows as "only in file one" or "only in file two" when it should be in both.

This usually means the identifying column value does not match exactly between the two files - check that column for the same formatting issues that break a lookup, or reconsider whether it is truly the same in both files.

Frequently asked questions

How do I compare two Excel files for differences?
Upload both to the comparison tool, choose the column that identifies each row, and it reports exactly what was added, removed and changed between them.
Can it show me which specific column changed, not just that a row is different?
Yes - a changed row shows precisely which columns differ and what the old and new values were.
What's the difference between this and Data Reconciliation?
Comparison is for two versions of essentially the same data (a before and after). Reconciliation is built specifically for checking whether two systems agree on a reference and an amount, like two accounting exports.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. Comparison happens entirely in your browser, on your own device.

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