Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about comparing Excel, CSV, and Google Sheets spreadsheets with Iditioning.
How does spreadsheet comparison work?
Iditioning matches spreadsheet cells by position or primary key. First, it identifies the combined cell boundaries of both uploaded files and then evaluates differences in contents. Any changes are highlighted in light green or light red.
Are my spreadsheets secure and private?
Yes, 100% private. All calculations run entirely inside your browser's local sandbox. No data ever leaves your computer or gets uploaded to our servers, ensuring your business data stays confidential.
What file formats are supported?
Iditioning supports Excel (.xlsx, .xls), CSV, TSV, and OpenDocument (.ods) files. You can compare files of different formats side-by-side.
How are empty cells compared?
An empty cell in one sheet compared with an empty cell in the other sheet is ignored to avoid cluttering your reports. However, if one cell is empty and the counterpart cell contains a value, it is flagged as a difference.
Is the cell comparison case-sensitive?
By default, cell comparisons are case-sensitive. This means values like "Sales" and "sales" will be flagged as different. Leading and trailing whitespace is automatically trimmed to prevent false positives.
How do I compare Google Sheets files?
To compare Google Sheets, first download them as Excel spreadsheets (.xlsx) from Google Sheets (File -> Download -> Microsoft Excel), and then upload them here. Direct Google Sheets integration is not required.
Is there a size or cell limit for comparison?
The tool supports spreadsheet uploads up to 20 MB. Files containing more than 2,000 differences will trigger a confirmation warning modal when exporting to PDF to prevent browser lag.
Why does the page freeze for large sheets?
While parsing runs in a background Web Worker, generating huge PDF reports (5,000+ rows) can temporarily block the browser thread while the browser download manager saves the PDF file. We keep a loading spinner active throughout this phase to indicate progress.
How do I use a custom column key for aligning rows?
Select a Row Alignment Key from the dropdown menu to align rows based on unique IDs (like an ID or SKU column) rather than straight row-by-row matching. This is useful for comparing datasets where rows might have been reordered.
How can I share the results of a comparison?
Click the "Share Result" button to generate a shareable URL containing the encoded diff data in compressed form. Anyone with the link can view the read-only results without uploading any files. The shared link is fully client-side and secure.
Do I need to install any software or browser extensions?
No installation or browser extension is required. Iditioning runs entirely in standard web browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari) using HTML5, Web Workers, and JavaScript.
Does Iditioning evaluate cell formulas or output values?
Iditioning evaluates calculated formatted display values. This ensures that calculated totals, formatted dates, and currency values match across files regardless of underlying formula syntax.
How do I cancel my monthly support subscription?
You can cancel your subscription at any time. Simply click the link in your email payment receipt to manage or cancel your subscription. There are no fees or lock-ins.