How to Reconcile Two Tables in Excel (Added, Removed, Changed)
You have last month's list and this month's, and you need to know exactly what was added, removed, and changed — but a two-way VLOOKUP misses rows and breaks when ranges shift. Here's why, and the one-click way.
Last updated: August 2026
| Old vs new | Status | |
|---|---|---|
| Acme — 100 vs 100 | → | Unchanged |
| Globex — 40 vs 55 | → | Changed |
| Initech — (new only) | → | Added |
Why two-way VLOOKUP is fragile
The manual approach is a VLOOKUP from the old table into the new one and another back the other way, wrapped in IF and IFNA checks to spot mismatches. It can flag changed values, but it easily overlooks rows that exist in only one table — the additions and deletions — and every absolute range has to be re-pointed when either table grows or shrinks. That's a lot of formula plumbing to answer a simple question.
The 1-click way — Tellsheet's Reconcile
Select your table and run Reconcile. Point it at the second table and the key column, and it writes a new sheet labelling every row Added, Removed, Changed, or Unchanged — added and removed rows caught automatically. Both source tables stay untouched, and everything runs on your device. Pairs with Diff Two Ranges and Compare Two Excel Files.
Frequently asked questions
How do I reconcile two tables in Excel?
Reconcile compares your selection against a second table by a key column and writes a new sheet labelling every row Added, Removed, Changed, or Unchanged.
Why isn't VLOOKUP enough?
A two-way VLOOKUP can spot changed values but misses rows in only one table, and its ranges break when a table changes shape.
Does it change my original tables?
No — the status is written to a new sheet, so both sources stay exactly as they are.
Does my data leave my computer?
No — Reconcile runs fully on your device, so it's safe for sensitive lists.
Related Excel guides
Reconcile two tables in one click
Reconcile matches two tables by key and labels every row Added, Removed, Changed, or Unchanged on a new sheet — offline.
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