Comparison of lists of data is something that we do all the time. Today, lets learn a few tricks that you can apply immediately to compare 2 lists using Excel.
This post discusses how to compare two lists with formula based rules. If you just want to quickly highlight common values, click here.
If you want to compare two tables (based on multiple columns), see this.
We will learn how to compare 2 lists of data in 3 + 1 different ways. (click on links to jump to that section of post)
- Highlight items that are only in first list
- Highlight items that are only in second list
- Highlight items that are in both lists
- Search and highlight matches in both lists – Home Work
Understanding the Comparison Logic:
Whenever you compare 2 sets of values, there are 3 possibilities, as shown in the illustration below:
Apart from looking like circles drawn by hulk with a crayon, these circles show important concepts of set theory in simplest form.
[there is a fourth possibility of a value not being in either lists, we omit that for now]
What you need to compare 2 lists?
1. Of course, you need 2 lists of data. But, just to make formulas simpler and easier to read, lets name the 2 lists as lst1 and lst2.
Lets assume your data looks like this:
2. Also, you should know how to use COUNTIFS Excel Formula, it is so awesome, I wonder why MS hasn’t called it MAGIC() ?
So in order to find-out if a value is in list 1 only, we use a formula like =COUNTIFS(lst2,value)=0.
This checks whether “value” occurs anywhere in lst2 and returns false if that is the case. (it assumes that value is already in lst1).
Highlighting Items that are in First List Only
Select values in first list (assuming the values are in B21:B29)- Go to conditional formatting > add rule (related: conditional formatting basics)
- Select the rule type as “formula”
- Write a rule like this:
=COUNTIFS(lst2, B21)=0 - Double check the reference and make sure it is relative (and not like $B$21). Select the reference and press F4 repeatedly to change it to relative reference
- Set the formatting you want.
- Click ok.
- All done. You should see values only in first list highlighted.
Highlighting Items that are in Second List Only
- Select values in second list (assuming the values are in
C21:C28) - Go to conditional formatting > add rule (related: conditional formatting basics)
- Select the rule type as “formula”
- Write a rule like this:
=COUNTIF(lst1, C21)=0 - Repeat steps 5-8 as above.
Highlighting Values in Both Lists:
Now, it gets interesting as you should apply conditional formatting individually to both lists.
- Select values in first list (assuming the values are in
B21:B29) - Set the conditional formatting rule as
=COUNTIF(lst2,B21)>0 - Apply formatting as you want.
- Now select second list (assuming the values are in
C21:C28) - Set the conditional formatting rule as
=COUNTIF(lst1,C21)>0 - Again, apply formatting as you want.
- That is all.
Searching for a value and Highlighting Matched Items in Both Lists – Your Homework:
This is another common thing we do. We want to find-out a given value (say in A1) is in the both lists, first list or second list and highlight all the matches. Like this:
Of course, doing this is very straightforward in Excel once you understand the above 3 things. So I am leaving this as your home work.
Go ahead, figure this out, practice it on a workbook. When you are satisfied with your result, post the answers here. Discuss!
Download Example Workbook on Comparing 2 Lists in Excel:
Go ahead and download the example workbook on comparing 2 lists in excel. [download from mirror]
It also contains the answer to homework above. Play with it and become comparison ninja.
How do you compare lists in Excel?
I often have to compare values in multiple lists (for eg. customers of one product vs. another, defect status this month vs. last month etc.). I use formulas to compare with-in table. And if I want to highlight the matches, I use CF.
What about you? How do you compare lists of values in Excel? What formulas do you use? Please share your techniques and tips using comments.
13 Responses to “Gantt Box Chart Tutorial & Template – Download and Try today”
Hi Chandoo
As one of your students I have followed your detailed example through with great success. However, Excel is acting in an unexpected way and I wonder if you could take a look?
http://cid-95d070c79aef808e.office.live.com/self.aspx/.Public/Gantt%20Box%20Chart.xlsm
On my version, I have to type 40239 (Which equates to 2 Mar 2010) to get the chart to display 31 May 2010 (which should be 40329)!!??
Have I done something wrong or is Excel acting up?
Thx
Oli
PS Your example file in 2007 displays correctly.
Hi,
I like this idea a lot, but I agree the name is a little drab.
As an American I may just be seeing things, but to me the combination of lines and bars on your chart looks like a bunch of cricket bats.
Maybe you could work that into a catchier name. 🙂
Cheers!
Here is some code I use to keep the axis synched.
It may be useful to some of your readers
It is based on a comment I saw on Daily Dose of Excel.
Function SynchGanttAxis(Cname, lower, upper)
'Sets the X min and X max for Category axis
Application.Volatile
On Error Resume Next
'
'Top Horizontal Axis
With ActiveSheet.Shapes(Cname).Chart.Axes(xlCategory, 1)
.MinimumScale = lower
.MaximumScale = upper
End With
'Bottom Horizontal Axis
With ActiveSheet.Shapes(Cname).Chart.Axes(xlValue, 2)
.MinimumScale = lower
.MaximumScale = upper
End With
End Function
Function SynchVerticalAxis(Cname, lower, upper)
Application.Volatile
On Error Resume Next
' Excel 2007 only
'Right hand vertical axis
With ActiveSheet.Shapes(Cname).Chart.Axes(xlValue, 1)
.MinimumScale = 0
.MaximumScale = upper
End With
End Function
@Oli.. Can you check your file again.. I see 40329...
@Dave: Even I saw things.. the bars actually looked like lollipops. How about calling this lollipop chart - now that would be yummy and goes along the tradition of naming charts after eatables (bar, pie, donut...)
@Bob: Superb stuff... thanks for sharing 🙂
Hi Chandoo
This looks really good and I think it can also be applied to show project phases / milestones.
Question: Thinking further could this be amended to display a project lifecycle (Idea through to Implementation say 7 phases) on one bar / row? Just imagine 20 projects within a programme all on one chart one bar each showing their respective lifecycle stages i.e. on one page.
Idea: As the Gantt Box Chart this is quite intensive to set up re formatting etc how about the added extra of once you have completed this to "Save as template" i.e. saves the formatting and layout of the chart as a template so you can apply to future charts. Simple to do and will save the time formatting etc again and again and again.
Therefore tip: Click on your chart demo and then click on Save As template icon (2007) - edit file name and click on save. Ready to use / apply via Templates in Change Chart Type window.
Thanks and be very interested if the lifecycle question can be resolved
Mike
How embarrassing.
I was obviously suffering from numerical dyslexia. I was one of those days.
@Mike H: You can easily make this chart to work like a generic project lifecycle plan chart. All you have to do is,
1. in a separate sheet define the steps of lifecycle and various dates in a table (with 5 columns for each of the projects you have).
2. now use a control cell to input the project name you want to show in the chart
3. based on the input, use OFFSET Formulas to get the correct data
4. Rest is same as the tutorial above
For more info on the dynamic charting visit http://chandoo.org/wp/tag/dynamic-charts/ and http://chandoo.org/wp?s=OFFSET
Your solution is really smart but in the en Excel isn't meant to do stuff like this. I, as a former PM, always thought is was frustrating that you had to do stuff like this for something simple like a Gantt chart. So I built Tom's Planner. And would like to plug it here. I think it really solves the problem you are trying to solve in the most efficient way. Check out http://www.tomsplanner.com for a free account or play around with the demo.
Hi there,
Chandoo - this is really a very nice and helpfull chart - I adopted it, so I can report a forecast or the delay of a certain task (coming from my role as an auditor for projects).
One topic I´m currently struggeling with: I do have a project lasting for lets say 12 month. For a management reporting, I want to have kind of snapshot, lets say one month back and 2 month in the future. I tried with the offset formula, but failed. Any idea?
Thx
Lopi
[...] Ein viel geliebter Klassiker ist die Erstellung von GANTT-Diagrammen mit Excel. Wir hatten das Thema wiederholt schon hier. Chandoo.org hat sich mal wieder mit einer neuen Variante hervorgetan: Das GANTT-Box-Chart. [...]
[...] [...]
Hi Chandoo - fantastic xls. One thing I can't figure out how to do is adjust the alignment of the vertical axis. I would like to left align so that I could indent to represent sub tasks. Can that be done? Or is there a better way?
I've been trying to work out if there's a way to show weekends on the graph. The closest thing I've got is to add them on a secondary axis, but then I haven't been able to keep both axis lined up together! Any ideas?
Following on from this - is it possible to show things like holidays?