Splitting and Arranging Workbooks

If you have two workbooks with similar data, you may want to compare their data row by row. Excel's Compare Side by Side feature allows you to compare two workbooks at the same time. When you compare workbooks, the Synchronous Scrolling feature is on by default. This feature allows you to scroll both workbooks at once. If you scroll the active workbook, the other workbook will scroll at the same time, allowing you to carefully compare data row by row.



To split workbooks and compare them side by side:

  1. Open the workbooks you want to compare.
  2. Click the Window menu and select Compare Side by Side with [name of other workbook].
  3. The two workbooks are displayed one on top of the other.
  4. Scroll the active window to scroll both workbooks at once.
  5. Click the Close Side by Side button on the Compare Side by Side toolbar to close the inactive workbook.


  • When you first compare two workbooks, the workbook you select from the Window menu is inactive. Click this workbook to make it the active workbook.
  • To switch the order of the workbooks, click the workbook you want to display at the top of the window and click the Reset Window Position button on the Compare Side by Side toolbar.

If you have more than two workbooks open, you will need to open the Compare Side by Side dialog box and select a workbook to compare with the current workbook. To do this, click the Window menu and select Compare Side by Side with... In the Compare Side by Side dialog box, click a workbook to compare with the current workbook and click OK.

To close the Side by Side view, click the Window menu and select Close Side by Side.