How do I compare two Excel documents?
- by arathorn
The compare function in Word 2007 is very handy -- is there a similar capability in Excel 2007? I can't seem to find it...
The documents I'm trying to compare are essentially two versions of the same content. Unfortunately, "Track Changes" has not been used.
If file comparison not a built-in feature, what alternatives are out there for doing this?
UPDATE [2009-08-05]:
I ran across this (somewhat dated) overview of some of the third-party options that are available:
http://www.comparesuite.com/solutions/compare_utilities_review/compare-files-excel.htm
UPDATE [2009-08-12]:
I ended up going with the Beyond Compare answer, but several of the other answers below were adequate as well, and might be more useful for someone else. (E.g., if you don't own a license for BeyondCompare, or want a comparison GUI that's integrated into Excel.)
See also: How do I diff two spreadsheets on Stack Overflow