How to compare columns in Microsoft Excel As stated, we can use the Excel VLOOKUP function to find and match different data or find differences in two columns.

Microsoft Excel comes with a lot of built-in functionality that doesn't restrict you to comparing data in two columns using only one method.

How Excel's INDEX and XMATCH Functions Work Before we look at how these two functions can be used together in one formula, let's take a moment to explore how they work in isolation.