MatchDock

Compare Excel files by the key that identifies each record.

Choose an ID, invoice number, employee number, account, or other business key. MatchDock uses that key to align records across two XLSX or CSV exports, then explains differences, missing rows, duplicates, and invalid keys.

Start reconcilingTry demo

Matching is deterministic. Uncertain records remain exceptions.

Source A key field

Invoice ID

Source B key field

Invoice Number

INV-1042

INV-1042

Matched

INV-1043

INV-1043

Amount difference: 25.00

INV-1044

—

Only in Source A

INV-1045 + INV-1045

INV-1045

Duplicate or ambiguous

MatchDock does not use amount as a hidden secondary key. Add another key field if Invoice ID alone is not unique.

Coming from VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP?

A lookup can find an ID in the other workbook and return a value. Comparing two files by ID means checking more: do the values agree, what is missing on each side, and can you trust the key to identify just one record?

One lookup answers one row.

For example, look up the ID in A2 against column A of the other workbook and return column D from its Data sheet:

=VLOOKUP(A2,'[Source B.xlsx]Data'!A:D,4,FALSE)
=XLOOKUP(A2,'[Source B.xlsx]Data'!A:A,'[Source B.xlsx]Data'!D:D,"Not found",0)

These exact-match lookups return the first matching row. A returned value does not prove the key is unique or check which records exist only in the other file. Repeating the lookup in reverse and comparing each field are separate checks.

Before trusting the result, check duplicate keys in both files with COUNTIF or COUNTIFS.

Reconciliation reviews both files.

Matched
The key pairs one row in each file and the compared values agree.
Differences
The key pairs the rows, but a compared value differs outside your rules.
Only A
A valid key exists in Source A without a counterpart in Source B.
Only B
A valid key exists in Source B without a counterpart in Source A.
Duplicates
Repeated or ambiguous keys remain visible for your review, without arbitrary pairing.
Invalid keys
Blank or invalid key values are reported instead of being used to match rows.

Looking specifically for absent records? See how to find missing rows on both sides.

Compare by key without rebuilding the lookup checks.

  1. 01

    Upload both Excel or CSV files.

  2. 02

    Map and choose the ID or key that identifies each record.

  3. 03

    Choose the fields to compare and review their rules.

  4. 04

    Review Matched, Differences, Only A, Only B, Duplicates, and Invalid keys.

  5. 05

    Export the results to Excel locally. With Pro, save the configuration and Run Again with new files.

Use keys that are sufficiently consistent across the files. MatchDock uses deterministic matching and explicit normalization, not fuzzy matching of different IDs or names.

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A key answers one question: which two records represent the same thing?

Column names can differ between systems. Invoice ID in one export may correspond to Invoice Number in another. Mapping tells MatchDock that the columns represent the same concept; selecting them as the key tells MatchDock that their values identify the record.

  • Employee number for payroll or HR exports.
  • Invoice number for accounts payable reports.
  • Account code for ledger extracts.
  • Material number for inventory lists when it is unique on its own.

Make equivalent keys comparable with explicit rules.

Real exports contain surrounding spaces, inconsistent case, Unicode variants, or identifiers such as 000123 and 123. MatchDock lets you choose deterministic normalization rules and keeps the explanation available in the result.

Normalization does not guess whether different values mean the same thing. It applies only the rule you configure.

Key normalization

  1. 01Ignore surrounding spaces
  2. 02Ignore case + spaces
  3. 03Ignore leading zeros
  4. 04Custom normalization

A duplicated key is a decision for you, not an invitation to guess.

If a key appears more than once in either source, MatchDock reports the group as duplicate or ambiguous. It never pairs rows by order and never turns a compare field into a hidden disambiguator.

When uncertain, report an exception. Never invent a match.

Define the identity first. Compare values second.

  1. 01

    Map equivalent fields between Source A and Source B.

  2. 02

    Select the field that uniquely identifies the record.

  3. 03

    Choose separate fields to compare, then apply any explicit tolerances.

  4. 04

    Review missing, changed, duplicate, and invalid records.

Your spreadsheet contents stay in your browser.

MatchDock parses and reconciles your files locally. Spreadsheet contents are not uploaded to MatchDock servers, and Excel exports are generated in your browser.

Ready to review the exceptions?

Start with two Excel or CSV exports. Choose the records that should match, apply explicit rules, and keep uncertain outcomes visible.

Start reconcilingTry demo