| Developer | Agora Software |
| Website | www.4tops.com |
| First Release | n/a |
| Latest Version | 3.2 |
| Single License | USD 69.00 |
Strongest Points
- Simple interfaces and navigation
- Selection of ranges to be compared in worksheets
- Identifies the basic types of differences quite well
- Difference reports can be customized
Weakest Points
- The solution is quite slow and the larger the files the slower it gets.
- Differences cannot be automatically updated
- Cannot compare multiple worksheets
- Does not provide filters or other options to improve matching accuracy
- Has very limited capabilities to compare databases
Working
with this Solution…
The below rating is based on our evaluation sheet that gives points for more than 40 different questions. From look and feel, convenience to functionalities… We think we have it all pretty much covered and summarized.
Getting started…
Evaluates how easy it is to get started with the solution and to do the basic setting to compare workbooks, spreadsheets and databases.
Summary: The initial look and feel is a bit basic. However it is simple to use and to do the required steps.
| Rating | 1.4 / 5 |
User Experience…
Measures the user experience and the convenience to work with the solution as well as how easy help can be accessed and how helpful the help topics are.
Summary: It takes several extra steps to compare a single worksheet or ranges of a worksheet.
| Rating | 1.8 / 5 |
Speed and Capacity…
Measures how fast the solution works with small, medium and large files as well as the capacity to identify multiple tasks, such as inserted columns, databases, etc.
Summary: It works pretty slow and the larger the file, the slower the solution gets. A single task can take up to several minutes.
| Rating | 1.5 / 5 |
Features, Options and Customization…
Evaluates filter options, customization features, identified difference types and the capability to handle databases.
Summary: Besides the selection of ranges and customized reports, it does not offer any other additional feature.
| Rating | 1.1 / 5 |
Result Display…
Measures how well the results are displayed as well as how easy it is to understand them and to navigate through these results.
Summary: Identified differences are accurately displayed and can be further used to customize a report.
| Rating | 3 / 5 |
Use and apply Results…
Measures how the results can be updated/edited and if the solution supports automatic updating of individual differences and entire groups of differences.
Summary: Automatic updating of individual differences or difference groups is not possible within this solution.
| Rating | 1 / 5 |
Solution Features
and Options…
This breakdown of capabilities shows you at a glance, where each of the solutions delivers and hopefully helps to see, which solutions will meet your needs best.
| What general Features does the Solution have? | |
| Compares Spreadsheets | |
| Supports and compares Databases | |
| Allows a 1-to-1 Comparison | |
| Command Line Options | |
| VBA | |
| Compares very large Files | |
| Multiple Filter Options | |
| Option setting per worksheet |
| What makes working convenient? | |
| Directly embedded as Add-In in Excel | |
| Parallel scrolling within two worksheets | |
| Highlight and un-highlight Differences | |
| Multiple Filter Options | |
| Use of multiple Comparison Options | |
| Save repeating Tasks as Projects | |
| Creation of Comparison Templates | |
| Show and hide Difference Types | |
| Command Line Options | |
| VBA | |
| Creation of Difference Reports | |
| Creation of hyperlinked Difference Reports | |
| Seamless Workflow with one Interface | |
| Selection of Ranges to be compared | |
| Setting of Value Tolerance for Comparison | |
| Compares multiple Spreadsheets in once | |
| Comprehensive User Manual | |
| Settings/Options for each Worksheet | |
| Automatic updating of differences |
| What can be customized? | |
| Color Coding for Difference Types | |
| Interface Layout | |
| Comparison Templates | |
| Filters and Options | |
| Repeating Projects | |
| Comparison Tolerance |
| Which Differences can be found? | |
| Entered Values | |
| Calculated Values | |
| Formulas | |
| Added and deleted Rows | |
| Added and deleted Columns | |
| Added and deleted Spreadsheets | |
| Spreadsheet Names | |
| Redundant Records | |
| Excel Names | |
| Cell Color Backgrounds | |
| Data Connections | |
| VBA Codes | |
| Number Formats | |
| Cell Alignments | |
| Font Names | |
| Font Styles | |
| Font Sizes | |
| Font Colors | |
| Font Underlines | |
| Font Strikes | |
| Font Super- and Subscripts | |
| Cell Borders | |
| Cell Interiors | |
| Cell Protections | |
| Cell Comments | |
| Font In-String Differences |
| Which Differences can be automatically updated? | |
| Updating of single Differences | |
| Updating of entire Difference Groups | |
| Entered Values | |
| Calculated Values | |
| Formulas | |
| Added and deleted Rows | |
| Added and deleted Columns | |
| Redundant Records | |
| Excel Names | |
| Cell Color Backgrounds | |
| Number Formats | |
| Cell Alignments | |
| Font Names | |
| Font Styles | |
| Font Sizes | |
| Font Colors | |
| Font Underlines | |
| Font Strikes | |
| Font Super- and Subscripts | |
| Cell Borders | |
| Cell Interiors | |
| Cell Comments | |
| Font In-String Differences |
The solution at a glance…
| A | 4Tops is a simple Excel compare standalone solution that works best for simple comparison tasks. It allows to compare single worksheets only and supports the use with a simple, easy to use interface. |
| B | It offers only limited settings but allows to select ranges within worksheets to be compared. |
| C | The solution provides the user with a difference report that can be saved and further customized. |
| D | Automatic updating of differences is not possible with the solution. |
| E | User interfaces are basic but guide the user well through the process. |
| Our Overall |
| Rating |  |
Solution
Ranking…
| 1. | Synkronizer |
| 2. | xlCompare |
| 3. | Microsoft |
| 4. | Sourceforge |
| 5. | DiffEngineX |
| 6. | Compare Spreadsheets |
| 7. | Formula Soft |
| 8. | 4TOPS |
Look & Feel – Screenshots
Basic interface to select the workbooks to be compared.
4TOPS only allows to compare single spreadsheets of a workbook at once. The option of comparing only a range within a spreadsheet is available.
Once both spreadsheets are selected the comparison task can get started.
Display of results once the comparison task is completed.
4TOPS does not allow automatic updating and only visualizes differences of two worksheets without further options.
