Comparing two Excel files row by row?
Load the baseline and the new file. Piloteq Automate keys the rows, compares every common column cell by cell, and tells you what changed, what moved and what is only in one file.
- Row Match % and Cell Integrity %
- Column drift — added & removed columns
- Data variances with the delta per cell
- Orphaned rows reported separately
GSTR2B_portal_july.xlsx
purchase_register_july.xlsx
| VCH-3391 | 47,320 | Changed Rows |
| VCH-3392 | 1,24,500 | Unchanged |
| VCH-3405 | 18,900 | Orphaned Rows |
Why comparing two files takes all afternoon
Verifying is not a formula problem. It is a diff problem.
A diff formula only handles the easy rows
VLOOKUP tells you a key is missing, or an amount does not match. It cannot tell you which column moved, or that the other file has two extra columns.
The schema moved between the two files
New month, new export. A column was renamed, another was dropped, and every formula pointing at column D is now reading the wrong data.
You are finding variances by eye
Two files side by side on two screens, scrolling. One missed ₹50 difference is an audit observation.
Additions and deletions need different treatment
A row only in one file is not a variance — it is an orphan. Sorting that out by hand is where the afternoon goes.
A real diff, not a lookup
It compares the two workbooks as structures, then compares the data inside them.
Compares two workbooks
Load Source A (Baseline) and Target B (Comparison). Every common column is compared cell by cell, keyed row by row.
Picks the match key for you
Auto-detect finds the composite match key from the common columns, and you can search and add columns to form the key yourself.
Reports schema drift
Columns present only in Source A, only in Target B, and the ones common to both — with the drift status written per column.
Separates variance from orphan
Changed rows and orphaned rows are their own result sets, so an addition is never reported as a difference.
Load A → Load B → Key → Compare → Review
Change the key and re-compare without reloading either file.
Load Source A
Drop the original baseline workbook — last month's version, the portal download, the client master.
Load Target B
Drop the workbook you are comparing against it. Swap A and B with one button if you load them the wrong way round.
Set the composite key
Auto-detect picks the key, or search the common columns and select the ones that identify a record — for example GSTIN + Invoice No.
Run the comparison
Every row is matched on the composite key and every common column is compared cell by cell. Change the key and re-compare without reloading.
Review by tab
Overview, Column Drift, Data Variance and Orphaned Rows. Inspect any row side by side, then export the audit report.
Side by side
- Source A (Baseline) — the original you trust
- Target B (Comparison) — the file you are checking
- Swap A and B in one click if they are loaded the wrong way round
The composite key
- Auto-detect proposes the key from the common columns
- Search the common columns and add the ones that identify a record
- Use more than one column — GSTIN + Invoice No, or Voucher No + Date
- Re-run the comparison after changing the key, with the files still loaded
Four tabs tell you everything
Overview for the headline numbers. Column Drift for the structure. Data Variance for the values. Orphaned Rows for what is missing on one side.
GSTR-2B · Portal
| INV-0412 | 1,24,500 |
| INV-0413 | 82,000 |
| INV-0455 | 47,320 |
Purchase Register
| INV-0412 | 1,24,500 |
| INV-0413 | 82,050 |
| INV-0455 | — |
Overview
- Row Match %
- Cell Integrity %
- Total cell variances
- Schema drift count
Column Drift
- Column name
- In Source A — yes/no
- In Target B — yes/no
- Drift status
- Most impacted columns
Data Variance
- Composite key
- Column
- Source A value
- Target B value
- Variance / delta
Orphaned Rows
- Records only in A
- Records only in B
- Kept out of the variance list
What the comparison gives you
Every panel and column below exists in the Workbook Compare view.
Row Match % and Cell Integrity %
Two headline numbers: how much of the data matched row by row, and how much of the content inside matched cells.
Composite match key
Match on more than one column, so the same invoice number for two vendors is never collapsed into one row.
Auto-detect key
The app proposes the key from the common columns instead of making you guess.
Column Drift tab
Every column listed with In Source A, In Target B and its drift status — filter to common, only-A or only-B.
Data Variance tab
Composite Key, Column, Source A Value, Target B Value and the Variance / Delta, row by row.
Orphaned Rows tab
Records present in one workbook and missing from the other, kept out of the variance list.
Side-by-side row inspector
Open any variance and see the two rows next to each other instead of hunting for the row number.
Audit report export
Exports a workbook with separate sheets for the summary, data variances, column drift and orphaned rows.
Your files stay on your PC. The comparison runs locally and offline on .xlsx, .xls and .csv workbooks — nothing is uploaded, and Excel does not need to be installed.
When you need two files compared
Audit & assurance teams
Tie two versions of a schedule, or last year's closing file against this year's opening file, without a manual tick.
Accounts teams
Compare the portal download with the internal register after every correction run and see exactly what changed.
MIS & reporting
Confirm that the figures you are about to report still equal the source data, column by column.
Data migration & cleanup
Check that a converted or migrated file carries the same records and the same values as the original.
One price. Compare every file you get.
Same license covers reconciliation, cleaning, pivots and exports.
Single PC License · Windows desktop app
12-month license
Included in the license
- Full desktop app access
- Workbook Compare with composite match keys
- Column drift, data variance & orphaned rows
- Row match and cell integrity reporting
- Row inspector and audit report export
- Bank, Vendor, GST & TDS reconciliation included
Excel comparison questions
Stop scrolling two files side by side.
Load the baseline, load the new file, and see exactly what changed — for ₹1,499.
Windows 10/11 Razorpay secured payment Files stay on your PC
Other Excel problems Piloteq Automate solves
One Windows app, one license. Every one of these runs on the same ₹1,499 license.