| Developer | Sourceforge |
| Website | www.sourceforge.com |
| First Release | 2004 |
| Latest Version | 1.35.3 |
| Single License | free |
Strongest Points…
- Solution is free and does the job for very basic needs
- Side by side comparison and viewing of results
- Simple and basic difference types are clearly shown
- It shows suggestions what to update
- Easy to navigate and to use.
- Hyperlinked difference report support manual updating
Weakest Points…
- Inserted columns cannot be recognized and affect all comparison results of a spreadsheet negatively
- No automatic updating possible
- Filters, options and customization features are very basic
- Browsing for files is not possible. The workbooks to be compared need to be opened and aligned before starting the application.
- Identifies only the most essential difference types
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: Simple, guided process to get results, but requires that both workbooks are open. Browsing when application is open is not possible.
| Rating | 3.4 / 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: Well guided setup process given the limited filter and option settings. Some settings might take a bit of time to understand.
| Rating | 3.1 / 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: Standard speed for smaller workbooks but struggles with large files which takes a lot of time.
| Rating | 2.6 / 5 |
Features, Options and Customization…
Evaluates filter options, customization features, identified difference types and the capability to handle databases.
Summary: Very little customization possible. Filter and option settings are very limited and basic.
| Rating | 1.5 / 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: Results are displayed clearly but takes a bit time to flip through the windows. Hyperlinked difference report is certainly a plus.
| Rating | 3.1 / 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: Individual differences and difference types cannot be automatically updated. Updating only for the entire worksheet.
| 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 | Excel Add-In that provides multiple options for comparison. It compares workbooks with multiple spreadsheets and validates spreadsheet names before comparison. |
| B | The solution is free and definitely does the job for simple tasks. |
| C | Since 2004 only one major version has be released. We therefore assume, that support and product improvement will be rather limited. |
| D | Good, hyperlinked difference report that helps to navigate through the results. The parallel scrolling certainly makes result viewing convenient. |
| E | Allows only viewing of differences without automatic update capabilities. |
| 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
To start the comparison task, both workbooks to be compared need to be opened at the same time and aligned.
It provides the option to do a full, quick or range comparison which might shorten the time to get results.
Both workbooks that need to be compared have to be opened before starting the solution. Browsing once the solution is started is not possible.
Basic options to customize a comparison task.
Before starting the comparison task, the solution identifies worksheet names, that have no corresponding name in the comparing workbook. Manual allocation is possible.
Further options and settings for customizing the comparison task.
Further options and settings for customizing the comparison task.
Further options and settings for customizing the comparison task.
Result interface that shows cell differences in both sheets. Parallel scrolling makes result viewing convenient. However, the solution does not include automatic updating of differences or difference groups.
The solution provides suggestions on which to update. In some cases, however, the results are not that accurate and will need to be used with care.
Linked difference report is provided but on a very basic level.
