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Last Updated: January 2025 | Excel 365, 2021, 2019 Compatible

The Monday Morning Spreadsheet Problem We All Experience…

 

You know the scene: Two lists open, coffee getting cold, and you’re playing detective, trying to figure out why these numbers don’t match. Maybe it’s customer lists from different systems. Or inventory counts that should be identical but aren’t. Or that budget report where something’s off by exactly $1,247 and nobody knows why.

Sound familiar?

What most of us do is scroll up and down, maybe highlight a few things, open the calculator app, and hope we catch everything.

Spoiler alert: We don’t.

But Excel 2025 has your back. The column comparison tools work better than ever – from the new XLOOKUP that replaces that old VLOOKUP everyone pretends to understand, to Power Query for when you’re dealing with thousands of rows. We’ll show you the exact clicks and formulas that turn hours of manual checking into a 30-second task.

What You’ll Learn Here

Forget theory. This guide shows you exactly how to:

  • Spot differences between two lists instantly (no more scrolling).
  • Find missing customers, products, or entries without going cross-eyed.
  • Handle case-sensitive comparisons (because “McDonald’s” and “mcdonalds” aren’t always the same).
  • Set up error-proof formulas that won’t break when Sharon from accounting updates the spreadsheet.
  • Use the 2025 features that make old-school Excel look prehistoric.

By the end of this, you’ll be the person others ask for help with their comparison problems.

Quick Note: Excel Versions Matter

Using Excel 365 or Office 2021? You’ve got access to XLOOKUP, dynamic arrays, and AI tools – the Ferrari of comparison features. Still on Excel 2019 or earlier? No worries, we’ll show you both the new methods and the classic approaches that work everywhere.

Not sure which version you have? Click File → Account → About Excel. If you see “Microsoft 365” or a year of 2021 or later, you’re golden for the newest features. 

Why Column Comparison Will Save Your Sanity (And Your Job)

Here’s when you actually need this:

  • The Invoice Nightmare: Accounts payable sends their list, accounts receivable sends theirs, and somehow 47 invoices exist in one but not the other. Without proper comparison, you’re either paying twice or not at all.
  • The Customer Database Mess: The CRM has 1,847 customers. The email system has 1,923. Which 76 people aren’t getting your newsletters? Good luck finding them manually.
  • The Inventory Mystery: The warehouse says you have 450 units of SKU-7823. The system says 447. Those three missing units? They’re worth $8,000 each. Yeah, you need to find them.
  • The Payroll Problem: HR’s list shows 234 employees completed mandatory training. The training system shows 228. Those six people better have a good excuse, but first you need to know who they are.

Here’s what happens when you can’t compare properly:

  • You waste 2-3 hours per week on manual checking
  • Errors slip through (hello, duplicate payments)
  • Reports are late because you’re still “verifying the data”
  • You become that person who’s always “still working on it”

But when you know these comparison tricks? Five-minute fixes. Accurate reports. You leave on time.

Method 1: The Dead-Simple Equals Check (= vs <>)

This is where everyone starts, and honestly? Sometimes it’s all you need…

The Formula:

=A2=B2

What This Method Does:

The equals operator compares two cells and tells you if they’re identical or not. When you type =A2=B2, Excel checks if the value in A2 matches the value in B2 exactly. If they match, you get TRUE. If they don’t, you get FALSE.

The <> operator does the opposite – it returns TRUE when things are different.

What these operators mean:

  • The equals sign (=) asks: “Are these exactly the same?”
  • The not-equals sign (<>) asks: “Are these different?”

Think of it like comparing your coffee order with what you received. Same = TRUE. Different = FALSE.

The Basic Setup

    1. Your data’s in columns A and B.
    2. Click cell C2 (next to your first data row).
    3. Type this formula: =A2=B2
    4. Press Enter.
    5. Drag that little square in the corner down to copy the formula.

What You’ll See:

  • TRUE = They match (your coffee order was right)
  • FALSE = They don’t match (they gave you oat milk instead of regular)

Real Example: Comparing Product Codes

Imagine that a warehouse sent you their inventory list, but half the product codes look wrong. Time to find out which ones don’t match the master list.

    1. In cell A1, type: Old Code
    2. In cell B1, type: New Code
    3. In cell A2, type: PROD-123
    4. In cell B2, type: PROD-124
    5. In cell A3, type: ITEM-456
    6. In cell B3, type: ITEM-456
    7. Click cell C1 and type: Match?
    8. Click cell C2 and type: `=A2=B2`
    9. Press Enter (you’ll see FALSE because PROD-123 ≠ PROD-124)
    10. Click C2 again, grab the little square in the bottom-right corner
    11. Drag down to C3
    12. C3 shows TRUE because ITEM-456 = ITEM-456

Pro tip: Nobody wants to see TRUE/FALSE all over their spreadsheet. That’s where the IF function comes in (see next section).

Method 2: IF Conditions – Making Results Human-Readable

The IF function turns those TRUE/FALSE results into messages that actually make sense.

Basic IF Comparison Formula:

=IF(A2=B2, "Match", "No Match")

This checks A2 against B2, displaying “Match” when they’re identical and “No Match” when they differ.

Finding Only Differences Formula

=IF(A2<>B2, "CHECK THIS", "")

This variation highlights only problems, leaving matching rows blank for easier scanning.

The Multi-Check Formula

=IF(A2="", "Missing in List 1", IF(B2="", "Missing in List 2", IF(A2=B2, "Match", "Different")))

This catches empty cells AND mismatches in one go.

What This Method Does:

IF takes your comparison and converts it into custom text. Instead of seeing TRUE or FALSE, you can display “Match” or “No Match” or any message you want. The formula structure is: IF(comparison, what to show if true, what to show if false). This makes your spreadsheet readable for anyone, not just Excel nerds.

Step-by-Step Example: Comparing Customer Names

The sales team swears they updated the customer database, but you’re not buying it. Time to catch what actually changed.

    1. In cell A1, type: January List
    2. In cell B1, type: February List
    3. In cell A2, type: John Smith
    4. In cell B2, type: John Smith
    5. In cell A3, type: Jane Doe
    6. In cell B3, type: Jane Cooper
    7. In cell A4, type: Bob Wilson
    8. In cell B4, type: Bob Wilson
    9. Click cell C1 and type: Status
    10. Click cell C2 and type: `=IF(A2=B2, “Same Customer”, “Changed/New”)`
    11. Press Enter (you’ll see “Same Customer”)
    12. Drag the formula down to C4

Results:

  • C2: “Same Customer” (John Smith = John Smith)
  • C3: “Changed/New” (Jane Doe ≠ Jane Cooper)
  • C4: “Same Customer” (Bob Wilson = Bob Wilson)

Method 3: EXACT Function – When Capitalization Matters

The EXACT function catches what the equals sign misses: case differences.

The Formula:

=IF(EXACT(A2, B2), "Exact Match", "Check Capitalization")

What This Method Does:

EXACT compares two text values character by character, including their capitalization. While the regular equals sign treats “ABC” and “abc” as the same, EXACT knows they’re different. This is critical for product codes, passwords, or any data where capitalization changes the meaning. EXACT returns TRUE only when every character matches perfectly, including upper and lowercase.

When to Use Each

Use Case-Insensitive (=) for:

  • Customer names (John Smith = john smith)
  • Email addresses (they’re never case-sensitive)
  • General text matching

Use Case-Sensitive (EXACT) for:

  • Product codes (SKU-AB123 ≠ SKU-ab123)
  • Passwords or security codes
  • Technical specifications
  • Canadian postal codes (K1A 0B1 must be exact)

Step-by-Step Example: Product Code Validation

Someone in shipping keeps typing product codes in lowercase, and it’s causing the automated system to reject orders. Time to catch these before they become returns.

    1. In cell A1, type: System Code
    2. In cell B1, type: Entered Code
    3. In cell A2, type: ABC-123
    4. In cell B2, type: abc-123
    5. In cell A3, type: XYZ-789
    6. In cell B3, type: XYZ-789
    7. Click cell C1 and type: Regular Check
    8. Click cell C2 and type: `=IF(A2=B2, “Match”, “No Match”)`
    9. Press Enter (shows “Match” – ignores case)
    10. Drag down to C3 (shows “Match”)
    11. Click cell D1 and type: EXACT Check
    12. Click cell D2 and type: `=IF(EXACT(A2, B2), “Valid”, “Invalid – Check Case”)`
    13. Press Enter (shows “Invalid – Check Case”)
    14. Drag down to D3 (shows “Valid”)

What happened:

  • Column C ignored capitalization – both showed as matches
  • Column D caught the case difference in row 2
  • This prevents ABC-123 (a widget) from being confused with abc-123 (maybe a different product)

Method 4: XLOOKUP & XMATCH – The Modern Way

Remember VLOOKUP? That formula everyone pretends to understand but secretly Googles every time? Microsoft finally admitted it was confusing and gave us XLOOKUP and XMATCH.

The Formula:

=XLOOKUP(A2, D:D, E:E, "Not in system")

What This Method Does:

XLOOKUP searches for a value in one column and returns a corresponding value from another column – like finding someone’s phone number by looking up their name. Unlike VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP can look in any direction, handles errors gracefully, and doesn’t break when you move columns around. XMATCH tells you the position where something appears, perfect for “found at row 23” messages.

XLOOKUP: The Swiss Army Knife

Old VLOOKUP pain:

=IFERROR(VLOOKUP(A2, B:C, 2, FALSE), "Not found")

New XLOOKUP simplicity:

=XLOOKUP(A2, B:B, C:C, "Not found")

No more counting columns. No more IFERROR wrapper. It just works.

Step-by-Step Example: Employee Lookup

HR just sent over employee IDs to verify against the payroll system. Three people claim they’re not getting paid – let’s see if they’re even in the system.

  1. Set up your lookup list:
    • In cell D1, type: Employee ID
    • In cell E1, type: Employee Name
    • In cell D2, type: EMP-001
    • In cell E2, type: Sarah Johnson
    • In cell D3, type: EMP-002
    • In cell E3, type: Mike Chen
    • In cell D4, type: EMP-003
    • In cell E4, type: Lisa Park
  2. Set up what you’re checking:
    • In cell A1, type: Check These IDs
    • In cell A2, type: EMP-002
    • In cell A3, type: EMP-999
    • In cell A4, type: EMP-001
  3. Create the lookup:
    • Click cell B1 and type: Employee Found
    • Click cell B2 and type: `=XLOOKUP(A2, D:D, E:E, “Not in system”)`
    • Press Enter (shows “Mike Chen”)
    • Drag down to B4
  4. Results:
    • B2: “Mike Chen” (found EMP-002)
    • B3: “Not in system” (EMP-999 doesn’t exist)
    • B4: “Sarah Johnson” (found EMP-001)

XMATCH Step-by-Step: Finding Position

When someone says “I know that invoice is in there somewhere,” XMATCH tells you exactly where.

    1. Using the same data as above
    2. Click cell C1 and type: Found at Row
    3. Click cell C2 and type: `=XMATCH(A2, D:D, 0)`
    4. Press Enter (shows 3 because EMP-002 is in row 3)
    5. Drag down to C4
    6. Results show the exact row numbers where matches were found

Method 5: COUNTIF & MATCH for List Analysis

COUNTIF doesn’t just count, it’s also your detective for finding what’s missing.

The Formula:

=IF(COUNTIF(B:B, A2)=0, A2 & " - Call them!", "Registered")

What This Method Does:

COUNTIF counts how many times a value appears in a range. For comparisons, this is gold: if something appears zero times in the other list, it’s missing. If it appears more than once, it’s a duplicate. MATCH finds the exact position of a value, telling you “that item is in row 47” instead of just “yes, it exists.”

Step-by-Step Example:

The annual conference is next week, and you need to know which VIP clients haven’t registered yet. No pressure, but the CEO wants this list in 10 minutes.

  1. Set up last year’s attendees:
    • In cell A1, type: Last Year
    • In cell A2, type: Sarah Johnson
    • In cell A3, type: Mike Chen
    • In cell A4, type: Lisa Park
    • In cell A5, type: David Kim
  2. Set up this year’s registrations:
    • In cell B1, type: This Year
    • In cell B2, type: Mike Chen
    • In cell B3, type: Lisa Park
    • In cell B4, type: Amy Wong
    • In cell B5, type: Tom Lee
  3. Check who hasn’t registered:
    • Click cell C1 and type: Status
    • Click cell C2 and type: `=IF(COUNTIF(B:B, A2)=0, A2 & ” – Call them!”, “Registered”)`
    • Press Enter (shows “Sarah Johnson – Call them!”)
    • Drag down to C5
  4. Results:
    • “Sarah Johnson – Call them!” (not in this year’s list)
    • “Registered” (Mike Chen is registered)
    • “Registered” (Lisa Park is registered)
    • “David Kim – Call them!” (not registered)

Method 6: Dynamic Arrays – The 2025 Power Tools

If you have Excel 365, these functions change everything. They automatically expand to show all results – no dragging formulas down.

The Formula:

=FILTER(A2:A100, COUNTIF(B:B, A2:A100)=0, "All items match!")

What This Method Does:

Dynamic arrays let one formula return multiple results that “spill” into neighboring cells automatically. FILTER pulls out only the data that meets your criteria. UNIQUE removes all duplicates instantly. These functions eliminate the need to copy formulas down – Excel does it automatically.

Step-by-Step Example:

Black Friday is over, and now you need to know what didn’t sell so you can plan the Boxing Day sale. FILTER makes this a two-minute job instead of a two-hour nightmare.

  1. Set up your inventory list:
    • In cell A1, type: All Products
    • In A2 through A6, type:
      • Widget-A
      • Widget-B
      • Widget-C
      • Widget-D
      • Widget-E
  2. Set up what was sold:
    • In cell B1, type: Sold Items
    • In B2 through B4, type:
      • Widget-B
      • Widget-D
      • Widget-E
  3. Find unsold items:
    • Click cell D1 and type: Unsold Items
    • Click cell D2 and type: `=FILTER(A2:A6, COUNTIF(B:B, A2:A6)=0, “Everything sold!”)`
    • Press Enter
  4. Results appear automatically:
    • Widget-A automatically appears in D2
    • Widget-C automatically appears in D3
    • No dragging needed – Excel fills it automatically!

Method 7: Conditional Formatting – Visual Instant Answers

Sometimes you don’t need formulas – you need the problems to jump out visually.

The Process:

Home → Conditional Formatting → Highlight Cell Rules → Duplicate Values

What This Method Does:

Conditional Formatting automatically changes the color, font, or style of cells based on their values or comparisons. For column comparison, it can highlight duplicates in green, unique values in red, or differences in yellow – whatever helps you spot patterns instantly. No formulas needed in your cells, just visual cues that make problems impossible to miss.

Step-by-Step Example:

Marketing has two email lists and they’re convinced they’re totally different. Ten seconds with Conditional Formatting will prove them wrong.

  1. Set up your lists:
  2. Apply highlighting:
    • Click cell A1
    • Hold Shift and click cell B5 (selects both columns)
    • Home tab → Conditional Formatting → Highlight Cell Rules → Duplicate Values
    • Choose “Green fill with dark green text”
    • Click OK
  3. Results:

Method 8: Power Query – For Serious Data

When your data hits five figures (10,000+ rows), formulas start choking. Power Query doesn’t even break a sweat.

The Process:

Data → Get Data → Combine Queries → Merge

What This Method Does:

Power Query is Excel’s heavy-duty data tool that processes massive datasets without slowing down. It connects to multiple data sources, cleans and transforms data, and performs comparisons that would crash regular formulas. Best part: once you set it up, refreshing with new data takes one click.

Step-by-Step Example:

The boss wants to know which customers we lost this month. With 50,000 customers, formulas would melt your computer – but Power Query handles it without breaking a sweat.

  1. Prepare January data:
    • Create a list of customers in A1:B100 (ID and Name)
    • Select all the data
    • Data tab → From Table/Range
    • In Power Query Editor, name it “JanuaryCustomers”
    • Home → Close & Load To
    • Choose “Only Create Connection”
    • Click OK
  2. Prepare February data:
    • Create February list in D1:E102 (same structure)
    • Select all the data
    • Data tab → From Table/Range
    • Name it “FebruaryCustomers”
    • Close & Load To → Only Create Connection
  3. Compare the lists:
    • Data tab → Get Data → Combine Queries → Merge
    • Top dropdown: Select “JanuaryCustomers”
    • Bottom dropdown: Select “FebruaryCustomers”
    • Click the ID column in both tables (they highlight)
    • Join Kind dropdown: Choose “Left Anti”
    • Click OK
    • Power Query shows all customers who were in January but NOT in February
    • Click “Close & Load” to put results in your worksheet

 

Excel FAQ: Compare Columns
Quick Note: Excel Versions Matter
Using Excel 365 or Office 2021? You have access to XLOOKUP, dynamic arrays and newer functions.
If you’re on Excel 2019 or earlier, the classic approaches below will still work.
▶ How do I quickly compare two columns without formulas?
Select both columns → Home → Find & Select → Go To Special → Row Differences → OK. Different cells are instantly selected. Or use Conditional Formatting with duplicate/unique rules for visual comparison.
▶ What’s the fastest way to find missing items?
For Excel 365:
=FILTER(A:A, COUNTIF(B:B, A:A)=0)
For older versions:
=IF(COUNTIF(B:B, A2)=0, "Missing", "")
▶ Can I compare columns from different workbooks?
Yes! Use XLOOKUP with full path:
=XLOOKUP(A2, '[OtherFile.xlsx]Sheet1'!A:A, '[OtherFile.xlsx]Sheet1'!B:B, "Not found")
Or better: Use Power Query to link workbooks permanently.
▶ How do I compare more than two columns?
Use AND for all must match:
=IF(AND(A2=B2, B2=C2, C2=D2), "All match", "Difference found")Use OR for any match:
=IF(OR(A2=B2, A2=C2, A2=D2), "Found match", "No matches")
▶ Why does my VLOOKUP show #N/A but I can see the match?
Usually extra spaces or numbers stored as text. Fix with:
=XLOOKUP(TRIM(VALUE(A2)), TRIM(B:B), C:C, "Not found")
This handles both issues at once.

Your Excel Journey Doesn’t Stop Here

Picture your next performance review. Instead of nodding along when they mention “advanced Excel skills needed for promotion,” you’re the one teaching others. You’ll no longer dread month-end reports, you’re automating them. Instead of being stuck in your current role, you’re qualified for those jobs that always require “strong Excel proficiency.”

The comparison techniques you just learned? They’re a fraction of what Excel can do. And Excel itself? It’s one tool in a toolkit that can completely change your career path.

Turn These Skills Into Real Credentials

You’ve got three options here:

Option 1: Keep Googling Sure, you could spend the next year watching YouTube tutorials at midnight, hoping you’re learning the right things. Maybe you’ll figure out pivot tables. Maybe you’ll master macros. Or maybe you’ll learn outdated methods that nobody uses anymore.

Option 2: Buy a Book Those 800-page Excel bibles look impressive on your desk. But when your boss needs that report in an hour, you don’t have time to check the index and flip to page 473.

Option 3: Get Proper Training This is where Academy of Learning Career College comes in. Real instructors who answer your actual questions. Current curriculum that matches what Canadian employers actually need. And most importantly – a diploma that proves you know your stuff.

Programs That Actually Get You Hired

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Make Your Move

You just spent time learning Excel comparison methods because you know skills matter, but being self-taught only gets you so far. At some point, you need structured learning, expert guidance, and recognized credentials.

Want to boost your office skills and stand out from the crowd? Book an online info session with Academy of Learning Career College today. During the session, you can ask questions about program details, costs, and job opportunities after graduation.

Visit www.academyoflearning.com or call 1-888-282-2522.

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