To help you compare 2 Excel files to find the similarities or differences is very simple. Just follow one of the five ways below. That is:

Instructions for manually comparing data between 2 Excel files

This is a method to compare duplicate data in 2 Excel files for cases where you need to check details and ensure 100% accuracy. To perform manual data comparison, do the following:

Step 1: First, open the two files you want to compare in two different tabs on the screen. Then, copy the column you want to check for duplicates and paste it into a blank cell in the other file.

Step 2: Check each selected cell and column, then compare the values ​​between the two files to find the differences.

Step 3: When you find a difference, make a note directly on the file for easy tracking and determining the appropriate solution.

Step 4: If the table has many columns and rows to compare, organize the data scientifically to facilitate the testing process.

Step 5: Based on the collected discrepancy information, you can edit, add new or delete data to ensure consistency between the two files.

Instructions for comparing 2 Excel files using View Side by Side

To use the View Side by Side option to compare data between two Excel files, open the two Excel sheets you want to check and arrange them horizontally or vertically. Then, compare the data using the following procedure:

Step 1: On the Excel file, go to the View tab and select the View Side by Side option.

Step 2: To make the comparison easier, click Arrange All to adjust the display of the two Excel tables. Select the Vertical option and click OK to display the two tables side by side vertically.

Step 3: Click the Enable Synchronous Scrolling icon to scroll two Excel files at the same time. This makes checking easier, helping you quickly detect differences between the two files.

Instructions for comparing data between 2 Excel files using the IF function

If the two Excel files or tables you need to check contain a lot of data, comparing them in the above two ways can take a long time. Instead, you can apply the following method to detect the differences more quickly:

Step 1: In the Excel file, put the two data files to be compared into the Sheet1 and Sheet2 tables. Then, click on the + icon to open a new panel next to it.

Step 2: Click on cell A1 of both Sheet1 and Sheet2. Then, in cell A1 of the new sheet, enter the function `=IF(Sheet1!A1 Sheet2!A1 , "Sheet1:"&Sheet1!A1&" vs Sheet2:"&Sheet2!A1, "")` and press Enter.

Step 3: To compare the differences between two tables, simply drag the mouse from cell A1 to the end of the data area you want to compare. Immediately, the different data will be displayed.

Instructions for comparing 2 worksheets in the same Excel table

If the IF function is too complicated, you can use the method of comparing two sheets in the same Excel table. Here is the procedure to perform the test:

Step 1: In the Excel file, go to the View tab and select New Window to open a new window.

Step 2: In the first window, click on Sheet1 and select Sheet2 in the other window.

Step 3: Next, click on View Side by Side to display two spreadsheets side by side, making comparison easier.

Instructions for comparing 2 Excel files using Compare and Merge Workbooks

In addition to comparing data between two Excel files, if you want to merge them, use the Compare and Merge Workbooks feature. This feature will highlight the differences for you to easily identify, specifically as follows:

Step 1: In the Excel file, click on the File tab, then scroll down and select the Options option.

Step 2: Click Quick Access Toolbar and select All Commands. Then, in the drop-down list, find and select Compare and Merge Workbooks, click Add and click OK to confirm.

Step 3: In Excel, click the Compare and Merge Workbooks icon, then select the data files you want to compare and merge in the new window.

Thus, the above article has guided you through 5 simple and quick ways to compare the differences between 2 Excel files. With detailed steps, hopefully you can easily and successfully compare data in 2 Excel files or tables. This will help you manage and track your work more effectively, while significantly improving your work performance.