Features List

xlCompare is an Excel file comparison tool. Almost 90% of Excel users need to compare their Excel files for differences on the regular basis. For instance, there are several price lists that have been received from different suppliers, accounting statements, and financial statements in Excel file format (XLSX, XLSM, XLS). What are the differences between them? How can send a list of they're differences by e-mail to explan your colleague what was changed in this file?

xlCompare is an Excel Diff Tool that does this job quickly and accurately. In seconds, you will have a detailed color coded report with all changes found in your spreadsheets. You can save this report on disk or send it to your co-worker or client by e-mail. Merge changes found in this report if you need to combine 2 different workbooks.

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What makes xlCompare such a useful and powerful
excel file comparison tool?

Look into list of features of the software. They speak for themselves.

Find Changed Cells

xlCompare checks all cells in your spreadsheet for differences in:

The most common case - changed value. If you are working on the Financial Model and output values has being changed, xlCompare points you to the changed input values.

What if you have volatile functions (RAND, INDIRECT, ...) in formulas? On the every run they produce a lot of discrepancies. It is hard to understand where the actual modification is. Open Options and exclude Calculated Values from being Compared. Now xlCompare looks for changes in the constant cells and formulas.

Find Changed Formulas

All formulas and array formulas are checked for modification. xlCompare displays changes in the formula text with color formatting. You get a comprehensive report about modification.

Find Changed Formatting

If you've changed background color or text color or other attributes of cell formatting in some of the cells - xlCompare finds them and gives you a report list of these changes.

Find Inserted Rows

Your co-worker inserts a new row into a worksheet, saves it, and send it to you. Here's how to locate it in the worksheet. xlCompare finds inserted rows and marks them with color. There will be no problems in locating them on the worksheet.

Color Coded Comparison Report

Results of the comparison are marked with color on the worksheet. This is done to standardize formatting for modified cells and for new and deleted rows and columns. If you see this formatting you immediately understand that this cell has being changed, or this row has been removed or inserted into the worksheet.

Side-by-side view

It is highly important to find all changes in the excel worksheets. However, representation of the comparison results have same importance.

This diff tool tries to give you comparison results in the best the possible ways.

xlCompare inserts virtual rows and columns into the corresponding worksheet to align rows. In this case changed cells appear on the same level. Do not spend your time locating corresponding cells. Just look on same row, at the other panel.

Display Difference

xlCompare displays cell original value as well as, modified value in same cell. This unique option is present in the xlCompare only, and named Extended View. You immediately get information on which value was changed and how. Do not look for the corresponding value at all. The next option Display Difference replaces the modified value with the difference between value in this cell and corresponding value. The spreadsheet view informs you that the value was increased or decreased as well as, what the change was.

Information Tooltip

You see the changed cell on the screen. However, what was actually changed in it? Was it the value, formula, or formatting? Put your mouse over this cell. The Tooltip Window gives you a report on the comparison details - complete information about this discrepancy.

Comparison Summary Report

How many differences do we have in these excel files? How much time should I spend looking through all the worksheets for differences?

Difference Explorer window, located below worksheet panels, displays a Comparison Summary. All differences found in the compared worksheets and VBA modules, are grouped by type and published as single list. This list has hierarchical structure, so you can drill down into the sheets, then into the rows, cells, etc. Changed cells, Inserted Rows, and Columns are published in these separate groups.

This report is very easy to understand and use.

Ignore Hidden Rows (Columns)

Does your spreadsheet has hidden rows? xlCompare has an option to ignore them. So, this is your decision whether to ignore them or include into the comparison.

If you want to exclude some data from being compared with a corresponding worksheet - hide this row or column and select an option to ignore the hidden data. xlCompare will leave this data and process only visible cells.

Ignore Calculated Values (optional)

In some case you will need to focus on the text of the formula, and ignore values produced in the calculations. xlCompare has an option to ignore values in the cells with a formula. In addition, you can ignore changes in the constant values and analyze only the text of the formulas.

Filter Changed Cells

xlCompare offers you several filtering options, to get only changed data, only equal rows and only inserted rows. Leave only rows you need to copy them to other file, save them on the disk in the Excel workbook file (XLSX) or print.

Highlight Differences

In one click you can format all cells with modifications and inserted rows on your worksheet with color. This makes them easily identifiable among other worksheet cells.

Create an Intersection and Union

xlCompare gives you a command to combine 2 lists into single one or extract common records from 2 tables. After Excel tables are compared - xlCompare is able to perform all database operations on them. We know which rows were inserted and which ones were updated, so we can join lists or create a difference. We can get a records present in one list, except those that a not found in the another one.

Print Comparison Summary

Print your worksheet without changing cell formatting and saving file. xlCompare prints your file with the corresponding value in the cell, or with difference including red\green icons, which indicate increase or decrease of the value.

We suggest that you to print sheet to PDF file. In this case you can send this formatted copy to your co-worker or save it on disk for future use.

Merge Cells

xlCompare is not the only Excel Diff Tool. This is a feature rich tool to compare and merge Excel worksheets. After you have a comparison report on the screen, you have merge command visible in every Changed Cell and in every Inserted Row (Column). Browse modifications on the worksheet and merge them one by one. It's easier and faster. In this case you will have full control of the data being merged.

Mass Merge

If you are working with large Excel tables - merging rows one-by-one is not efficient. For this purpose we offer you bulk merge commands. In a single click you have your worksheets merged. This command quickly and accurately inserts data from another worksheet into your file. You see the results in seconds.

Undo Merge

Once you've merged cells in your worksheets you can undo all merge operations, or undo only one specific merge. Merge operation is not permanent. Only when you exit from the comparison report, you can't undo them. But until you are working with your Comparison Report - you can merge, undo and merge again if needed.

Compare VBA Modules

Worksheet comparison is not complete without processing a VBA project. A (VBA project) is an important part of the Excel file (XLS, XLSM). Almost all Excel developers need this feature (VBA Project Diff Tool) for a version control.

xlCompare compares VBA modules and gives you a color coded, perfectly aligned comparison report for the VBA code. This code is compared on a function level. We'll always try to give you as accurate results as possible.

Compare VBA Forms and Controls

xlCompare is the only tool on the market that compares and merges VBA Forms and Controls. For the Visual Basic developer, it's is a pain to merge forms modified by a co-worker. xlCompare displays all controls in the hierarchical tree form. It's like a Project Browser window in the Visual Basic editor of the Microsoft Excel application. This tool identifies new controls and changed control's properties. If you've moved a control in the previous version of your workbook or changed the font or background color - xlCompare will point you to this modification.

Merge VBA Modules

Merge your VBA code quickly and easily. Every modified line has a checkbox near beginning. Just click it and get your code merged into another module. This option is common for xlCompare merge operations. Click on the checkbox forces xlCompare to apply this change to other workbook.

Merge VBA Forms and Controls

The same goes for the forms and controls. With xlCompare you can move new VBA form from your version of the workbook into the common version, and commit it into repository. Merge controls, control properties and code associated with control event handlers.

Command Line mode

All commands implemented in the xlCompare platform, are available from the command line mode. Call xlCompare from the command line to get results in the console mode, or to start with Comparison Report immediately without selecting comparison options. The Command Line mode covers all operations. You can use it in the BAT files, or integrate them with third party applications.

More about command line mode xlCompare: Command Line Options

3-Way comparison

You can compare 2 different versions of the same workbook, that have a common base file. This situation happens very often in the multi-user environment. You and your co-worker are working on the same file. How do you resolve conflicts? xlCompare identifies changes made in the MINE and THEIR versions of the excel file in comparison with the BASE excel file. Merge your changes and resolve conflicts in a few seconds. Just give this work to xlCompare.

SVN\GIT integration

Excel models are often added to the SVN\GIT environment for version control. You need to have an XLS Diff Viewer to show what was changed between the different versions. In other words - to compare two excel files for differences, resolve the merge conflicts between concurrent modifications. With the Command Line mode, you will do this work as easily as possible.

More about third-party tool integration xlCompare: SVN\GIT Integration

Drill Down Precedents

This is a bonus feature. If you are working with a complex model with 10000+ formulas, it is hard to determine which cells are dependent and which ones are independent. xlCompare displays precedent cells in the structured hierarchical form, with the ability to drill down in depth. With this, you can find input values of the any cell with formula. Also, xlCompare recognizes indirect calculations (for example OFFSET worksheet function) and drills into the result of these function calls.

Drill Down Calculations

Here's another bonus. If you need to find out where the formula result came from, xlCompare divides your formula into parts and calculate each argument of the operation. You will be getting a calculation tree for every formula expression. Drill down into this tree to see how the value is calculated. Drill down into subsequent calculations and, into dependent formulas. Try this feature, and it will save you a lot of time.

Display Calculation Order

This feature is just for your information. Would you like to see all the formulas in your workbook in the calculation order? This can be easy. xlCompare gives you this list with the ability to export it into text format to save on disk.

Summary

As you see - xlCompare is a complex and feature rich Excel file compare and merge tool. It is a good investment, saving your time and money.

Put your focus into important tasks while xlCompare is doing routine work for you with maximum accuracy.

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How xlCompare works

Visit this page to find detailed explanation for xlCompare on the real examples. See how we solve various tasks with xlCompare.

How it Works