how do I analyse two spreadsheets for missing data?

[joe54345]

I just received two spreadsheets that have the same information but the
columns are not symmetrical. It's about 400 rows and I'm told to find
the missing rows. Is there an easier way to do this than sorting both
by alphabetical order and printing them out and marking off each with a
pen?

 

[Niek Otten]

See

http://www.cpearson.com/excel/duplicat.htm#Replacing

Last paragraph: Extracting Values On One List And Not Another

 

[Dave O]

One way to do this is to determine a data point on each row that is
common to both spreadsheets. It may be a customer name, account
number, something like that. Then use a COUNTIF formula that counts
the occurences of that data point on the other spreadsheet. Any zeroes
that result from the COUNTIF are missing on the other spreadsheet.

Impress your boss: perform this operation on *both* sheets to make sure
you have captured all the data.