How can I differences in two Excel Workbook lists automaticall

[Guest]

I would like to find a way for Excel to automatically point out differences
between two lists. Can be either two worksheets or workbooks. I knwo how to
compare side by side but want Excel to do the work.

 

[Guest]

Well, there are a bunch of ways to compare lists of data, but the answer to
your question depends in part on what you're comparing. Numbers? Text?
Count of items in a list? Alphanumeric text strings?

Etc.

Give us some info on what you're comparing.

Dave

 

[Guest]

In this instance, it is text

Well, there are a bunch of ways to compare lists of data, but the answer to
your question depends in part on what you're comparing. Numbers? Text?
Count of items in a list? Alphanumeric text strings?

Etc.

Give us some info on what you're comparing.

Dave

 

[Guest]

Well if you want to compare, say, the lengths of two text strings then
something like =IF(LEN(A1)=LEN(B1),"Equal","Unequal")

 

[Guest]

In this instance, I imported data into a database from a list (text) in
Excel. About 2000 rows. All but about 12 of the rows imported. I pulled the
imprted data back into a spreadsheet and want to find the ones that didn't
import. Can Excel do this automatically or do I have to scroll through all
2000?

 

[Guest]

There may be an easier way to do this, but I would do the following:

1) Tag your original data set "original" in a new column.
2) Tag your new data set "new" in the corresponding column
3) Combine the two data sets (including the newly added columns) into a new
data set.
4) Sort by a unique identifier.
5) Run a helper column (assume your unique identifier is in column A).
=IF(A2=A1,"",1) Wherever a 1 is returned, you know there is a gap in the
sequence. Somewhere near that 1 is the line that is in your original data
set but not your new data set.

Make sense?

 

[Guest]

Yeah, i did try that already but the =IF(LEN(A1)=LEN(B1),"Equal","Unequal")
will work until I hit the first unequal row. from there on out they are all
unequal.

 

[Guest]

Okay, Dave, thanks. That worked for now but could be a pain for longer lists.
I will keep at it. Thanks for you help.