Question

I have 2 excel files with a lot of data in each. The data is structured exactly the same in both files but the values might have changed as the data is from two different times.

Basically I want to find some way to automatically compare values in each cell for the two files and highlight the cells that have changed values in file #2.

Kindly share your ideas!

Example:

File 1 :

a / 1 / 2

File 2 :

a / 1 / 8

(/ – indicates new cell)

Answer 1

This may not be the most efficient way (can handle 25k cells in a few seconds, though), but it more than makes up for it in simplicity.

This will look at every cell in Sheet2 and compare it against the value in the cell at the same address in Sheet1 of the file you specify. If it’s different, the cell in Sheet2 is highlighted yellow.

Sub FindDifferences()

Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Dim cell As Range
Dim wkb1 As Workbook
Dim wks1 As Worksheet

Set wkb1 = Workbooks.Open(Filename:="C:\MyBook.xls")
Set wks1 = wkb1.Worksheets("Sheet1")

For Each cell In ThisWorkbook.Sheets("Sheet2").UsedRange
    If cell.Value <> wks1.Cells(cell.Row, cell.Column).Value Then
        cell.Interior.Color = vbYellow
    End If
Next

wkb1.Close
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

Note:
You could easily tailor this to compare 2 sheets in the same file by simple removing the wkb1 and wks1 variables and changing wks1.Cells... to Sheets("Sheet1").Cells…