How to View Two Excel Sheets Side by Side Easily

In the world of data analysis and office productivity, Microsoft Excel remains a stalwart tool. With its robust features for organizing, calculating, and analyzing data, Excel users often need to compare data across different sheets. Whether you are reconciling accounts, tracking changes over time, or simply managing a large project, viewing two Excel sheets side by side can be a game-changer. In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk through several methods to achieve this, ensuring that both novices and seasoned Excel users can benefit.

Understanding the Benefits of Viewing Two Excel Sheets Side by Side

Before delving into the how-to, it's important to understand why you might need to view two sheets simultaneously:

• Comparison: For side-by-side comparison of data to spot discrepancies, trends, or validate data entry.
• Data Consolidation: Combining information from multiple sources or sheets to create comprehensive reports.
• Work Efficiency: Streamlining workflows by minimizing the need to toggle between sheets manually.
• Documentation: Keeping reference materials visible while working on another sheet.

Method 1: Arranging Windows in Excel

The simplest way to view two Excel sheets side by side is by arranging windows. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open your Excel workbook. If you have two separate files, open them as well.
2. Go to the View tab on the Ribbon.
3. Select New Window to open a second instance of the current workbook or choose View Side by Side if you have multiple workbooks open.
4. Click Arrange All to choose how you want the windows to be displayed. You can select:
• Vertical
• Horizontal
• Cascade
• Tiled
5. Ensure that View Side by Side is checked for the windows to stay synchronized when you scroll.

Notes:

💡 Note: When using 'View Side by Side', Excel might initially compare with an irrelevant window. Click on the Reset Window Position button to realign them properly.

Method 2: Using Freeze Panes

Another way to keep sheets in view is by using the Freeze Panes feature, although this doesn't place sheets side by side:

1. Open the workbook containing the sheets you wish to compare.
2. Select the cell below and to the right of where you want the split to appear.
3. Go to the View tab and click on Freeze Panes.
4. Choose Freeze Panes to lock the rows above and columns to the left of the selected cell in place.
5. Navigate to another sheet using the tabs at the bottom, which will appear in the frozen pane, allowing you to see both sheets simultaneously.

Method 3: Creating Multiple Windows

If you're working with multiple files, Excel's multiple windows functionality can be handy:

1. Open all the Excel workbooks you need to compare.
2. Right-click on any workbook’s title bar and select New Window for each additional view.
3. Arrange these new windows using the View tab's Arrange All feature.

Using the Watch Window for Real-Time Updates

The Watch Window is a lesser-known feature but can be incredibly useful for side-by-side viewing:

1. Go to the Formulas tab and click Watch Window.
2. Add cells from different sheets you want to monitor. These cells will then be visible in the Watch Window even when you change sheets or workbooks.

Working with Split Panes

Although not exactly side by side, splitting a single sheet into panes can be effective:

1. Select the cell where you want the split to occur.
2. From the View tab, click Split.
3. Now you can scroll through both parts of the sheet independently, which can mimic side-by-side viewing in some scenarios.

Advanced Techniques

For power users, here are some advanced techniques:

Using Excel’s Compare and Merge Workbooks

If you’re looking to compare two versions of the same workbook, you can use this feature:

1. Open one of the workbooks.
2. Go to the Review tab and click Compare and Merge Workbooks.
3. Select the other workbook you want to compare with, and Excel will open a comparison in a separate window.

VBA Macro for Side-by-Side View

Creating a VBA macro to automatically open and arrange sheets side by side can save time:

Sub ArrangeSheetsSideBySide()
    ‘ Code to open windows in side-by-side view
End Sub

However, please note that writing and using VBA macros requires some knowledge of programming, and we won't delve into the specifics here.

In summary, Excel offers various ways to view two sheets side by side, each catering to different scenarios and levels of technical expertise. From simple window arrangements to more complex comparison tools, users have multiple options to streamline their workflow.

Now, let’s address some common questions about viewing Excel sheets side by side:

Can I compare sheets from different Excel files side by side?

+

Yes, you can use the ‘View Side by Side’ feature to compare sheets from different Excel files.

What if I only have one monitor?

+

With one monitor, you can still use split panes or the watch window to keep different parts of sheets visible.

Is it possible to view more than two sheets side by side?

+

Yes, you can open multiple windows of the same or different workbooks and arrange them using ‘Arrange All’.

How do I synchronize scrolling when viewing sheets side by side?

+

When using ‘View Side by Side’, ensure ‘Synchronous Scrolling’ is enabled to scroll both sheets simultaneously.

Can I customize the view settings for side-by-side viewing?

+

Yes, you can adjust zoom levels, freeze panes, and more in each window to customize your viewing experience.