File Compare

[mizzrizz]

Hi - I need advice from you excel gurus out there. While I know my way
around excel pretty well. I'm no programmer and I need to automate a
file compare routine and am not sure how to go about doing it. Here are
the basics.

I have to spreadsheets and I need to to a cross match.. I've looked at
shareware that produces Difference Reports, but that doesn't quite do
the job.

Both spreadsheets have the same column headers. I need to create a
routine that compares each file... ignores exact matches and returns a
data on a new spreadsheet that shows what is on one spreadsheet and not
the other. Basically to do a cross match and spit out the
irregularities.

I'd love some help with this.. can anyone out there walk me through
what I need to do? Or, is this too challenging a task for Excel and
should I pull out the bug guns (VBA)?

Thanks!

Mizzrizz

 

[Mallycat]

Or, is this too challenging a task for Excel and should I pull out the
bug guns (VBA)?

this would be best handled in Access. What you don't say is how the
data in one row changes across columns. How many columns are there?
Can data change in different columns, or does it change in all columns?
Is there one reference column that you could check, and if that column
has changed, then you know definitely something has changed?

Matt

 

[mizzrizz]

Hi, thanks for your reply. Here's more info.. both spreadsheets have the
same number of columns... A through G. The primary information is the
"File" Name in column A.. and secondary is File Version in column B.
Here're are the possible changes that I would want to track:

1. Files that are on spreadsheet A that do not appear on spreadsheet B
2. Files that are on spreadsheet B that were not on spreadsheet A.
3. Any other data that is not a one to one value between spreadsheets.

I'm sure you are scratching your head about now . If it helps
to understand the background..

we compile a spreadsheet of programs/files that developers
create/change in preparation for a software release that needs to be
tested. This information is entered into our software control program.


The software control program generates a list of all programs/files
that ended up in the sofware release. Sometimes, programs/files get
pulled in that don't belong and we need to identify those. Sometimes,
programs/files that we wanted get missed.

Why aren't we using a better work flow program? Good question. But,
this is what I have to work !!! The files are often 3000 plus rows.. so
hence the desire to automate.