| Developer | Formula Software |
| Website | www.formulasoft.com |
| First Release | 2001 |
| Latest Version | 3.8 |
| Single License | USD 39.95 |
Strongest Points
- Can save projects and comparison templates
- Capable to plan multiple comparison tasks at once
- Able to compare ranges of worksheets
- Adjustable similarity rate to identify differences
Weakest Points
- The new version 3.8 does not include any substantial improvement and is pretty much the same as the version released years ago.
- The solution simply changes all identified differences regardless if needed or not
- Very limited and basic filter and option settings available
- Only a limited, basic set of differences can be identified
- Specification of differences and difference types is missing
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: Easy to get a comparison task started and to create and save projects.
| Rating | 2.8 / 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: Clear and easy to understand user interfaces.
| Rating | 2.4 / 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: Speed and the capacity of the solution are good but requires a bit time for very large files.
| Rating | 3.3 / 5 |
Features, Options and Customization…
Evaluates filter options, customization features, identified difference types and the capability to handle databases.
Summary: Very limited options for customization, filter setting and other options. No specific options or settings for databases available.
| Rating | 1.3 / 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: In our opinion, the display of the final results are too basic and takes time to get familiar with.
| Rating | 1.6 / 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 and of difference types is not possible.
| Rating | 1.1 / 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 | FormulaSoft is a standalone Excel compare solution which allows the comparison of multiple worksheets simultaneously. The new version 3.8 has been just released in April 2018. |
| B | The solution provides a basic set of features and options to filter and customize a comparison task. |
| C | Projects and comparison templates can be created and saved. |
| D | Comparing the former and the new version, no significant product improvement or innovation has been made. |
| E | The solution is sold at a relatively low price with free updates for several years. |
| 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
Initial interface to select the workbooks to be compared. Ranges and columns with unique identifiers can be specified.
Basic option settings to customize the comparison task.
Setting options to customize the reporting and interface language.
Projects can be saved in the FormulaSoft solution and, as a unique feature, multiple comparison tasks can be planned simultaneously.
Result interface that shows, which changes have been made. However, FormulaSoft is the only solution, that automatically makes changes to the worksheets without the option of intervention or to select what should be updated and what not.
