Compare Two Columns in Excel using Conditional Formatting
In this method, we will the Conditional Formatting rules provided by Excel to compare the two columns and highlight the DUPLICATE DATA between the two columns.
Step 1: Select the data
First, we will select the data cells of Excel for which we want to compare the data.
Fig 2 – Select the data cells
Step 2: Conditional Formatting
In this step, we will do the conditional formatting for our selected cell’s data and set the rules for highlighting the duplicate values. For this go to Home > Styles > Conditional Formatting > Highlight Cells Rules > Duplicate Values.
Fig 3 – Conditional Formatting
Once we click on Duplicate Values, excel will pop up a tab asking for a formatting rule. We can select the according to our requirements.
Fig 4 – Formatting Rule
After setting the rule(Here, Light Red color for cells having duplicate data values) we need to click on the OK button.
Step 3: Output
Once we set the formatting rules and click on the OK button, excel will automatically Highlight the cells according to the formatting rule.
Fig 5 – Output
How to Compare Two Columns in Excel : Easy and Quick Methods
Excel provides various functions and methods by which we can compare two columns and identify matching and mismatching data. Working with a very large Excel dataset, comparing two different columns, and recording the result as Matched or Not Matched can be very time-consuming. It is simple to compare columns in small tables but it becomes complicated when you need to compare two columns in a large spreadsheet. Comparing the columns manually is a time-consuming approach that can be avoided with the application of some fundamental knowledge of Excel.
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