How to Track Changes in Excel

Tracking changes in Excel is essential when multiple people collaborate on the same workbook or when you need a clear audit trail of edits over time. Whether you are managing financial reports, project schedules, research data, or business records, understanding who changed what—and when—can prevent errors, confusion, and data loss.

Microsoft Excel offers several ways to track changes, ranging from built-in collaboration features to comparison tools and manual techniques. However, the traditional “Track Changes (Legacy)” feature has evolved significantly in modern versions of Excel, especially with the introduction of Excel for Microsoft 365 and cloud-based collaboration through OneDrive and SharePoint.

In this comprehensive guide, you will learn all practical methods to track changes in Excel, including modern co-authoring tools, legacy tracking options, workbook comparison techniques, and best practices for maintaining data integrity.

Understanding Change Tracking in Excel

Before diving into step-by-step instructions, it is important to understand what “tracking changes” means in Excel.

Tracking changes generally refers to:

• Identifying who made a change
• Knowing what was changed
• Seeing when the change occurred
• Reviewing and accepting or rejecting changes (where applicable)

Excel does not track changes in the same way as Microsoft Word, but it provides multiple tools that together achieve similar results.

Method 1: Tracking Changes Using Excel’s Modern Collaboration Features

Real-Time Co-Authoring in Excel

In modern versions of Excel (Excel 2019, Excel 2021, and Microsoft 365), tracking changes primarily happens through real-time collaboration.

Requirements

• File must be saved to OneDrive or SharePoint
• Users must be signed in with Microsoft accounts
• Excel for Microsoft 365 or Excel Online

How It Works

When multiple users open the same Excel file stored in the cloud:

• Each user’s cursor appears in a different color
• Changes appear almost instantly
• Excel automatically records version history

Viewing Who Is Editing

1. Open the Excel file stored on OneDrive or SharePoint
2. Look at the top-right corner
3. You will see profile icons of users currently editing the file

Hovering over a cell may show who last edited it.

Using Version History to Track Changes

Version History is the most reliable way to track changes in modern Excel.

How to Access Version History

1. Open your Excel workbook
2. Click File
3. Select Info
4. Click Version History

A panel will open showing:

• Previous versions
• Date and time of each save
• Name of the person who made the changes

Reviewing Changes

• Click a previous version to open it
• Compare it visually with the current version
• Restore an older version if needed

Benefits of Version History

• No manual setup required
• Automatically tracks all saved changes
• Works seamlessly with cloud collaboration
• Ideal for audit and recovery purposes

Method 2: Using Track Changes (Legacy Feature)

Although Microsoft has phased out the legacy Track Changes feature, it is still available in some desktop versions of Excel.

When to Use Track Changes (Legacy)

• When working with local files
• When you need a visible record of changes inside the worksheet
• When using older Excel workflows

Enabling Track Changes (Legacy)

1. Click File
2. Go to Options
3. Select Customize Ribbon
4. Enable Developer or Review (Legacy) options if necessary
5. Add Track Changes (Legacy) to the ribbon

Turning On Track Changes

1. Go to the Review tab
2. Click Track Changes (Legacy)
3. Select Highlight Changes
4. Check Track changes while editing
5. Choose when, who, and where to track changes
6. Click OK

Once enabled, Excel highlights:

• Edited cells
• Inserted or deleted rows
• Changed values

Viewing Tracked Changes in Legacy Mode

Tracked changes appear with:

• Colored cell borders
• A small triangle indicator in the corner

Hover over a marked cell to see:

• Who made the change
• What was changed
• When it occurred

Accepting or Rejecting Changes

1. Go to Review
2. Click Track Changes (Legacy)
3. Select Accept/Reject Changes
4. Review changes one by one or in bulk

This method works well for controlled review processes but lacks modern collaboration flexibility.

Method 3: Comparing Two Excel Workbooks

If you need to track changes between two versions of a file, workbook comparison is one of the most effective methods.

Using Excel’s Inquire Add-In

The Inquire add-in is available in some Excel versions, especially Microsoft 365.

Enable Inquire Add-In

1. Click File
2. Select Options
3. Go to Add-ins
4. Choose COM Add-ins
5. Enable Inquire

Comparing Files

1. Go to the Inquire tab
2. Click Compare Files
3. Select the original file
4. Select the modified file
5. Click Compare

Excel generates a detailed comparison showing:

• Changed cells
• Formula differences
• Formatting changes
• Added or removed sheets

This method is ideal for audits, compliance checks, and large datasets.

Method 4: Using Comments and Notes to Track Changes

While comments do not automatically track changes, they provide valuable context.

Using Comments in Excel

1. Select a cell
2. Right-click and choose New Comment
3. Enter notes explaining the change

Modern comments support:

• Threaded discussions
• Mentions using @username
• Collaboration without modifying cell data

Best Use Cases

• Explaining why a value was changed
• Requesting clarification
• Documenting approvals

Method 5: Using Formulas to Monitor Changes

Advanced users can create formulas to track changes manually.

Example: Monitoring Cell Changes

You can use helper columns with formulas like:

• =IF(A1<>B1,"Changed","No Change")

This technique requires:

• Original data stored separately
• Comparison logic built into the worksheet

Benefits

• Fully customizable
• Works without cloud features
• Useful for dashboards and alerts

Method 6: Protecting Sheets While Tracking Changes

Tracking changes is more effective when combined with worksheet protection.

Why Protect Sheets?

• Prevent unauthorized edits
• Control which cells can be modified
• Reduce accidental changes

How to Protect a Worksheet

1. Go to the Review tab
2. Click Protect Sheet
3. Set a password (optional)
4. Choose allowed actions

Protected sheets work well with comments and version history to maintain accountability.

Best Practices for Tracking Changes in Excel

1. Use Cloud Storage Whenever Possible

Storing files in OneDrive or SharePoint ensures:

• Automatic version tracking
• Easy collaboration
• Secure backups

2. Name Versions Clearly

If saving manual copies, use descriptive names such as:

• Budget_Q1_Original.xlsx
• Budget_Q1_Reviewed.xlsx
• Budget_Q1_Final.xlsx

3. Combine Methods

The most effective approach often involves:

• Version history for auditing
• Comments for context
• Workbook comparison for validation

4. Limit Editing Permissions

Grant edit access only to necessary users to minimize unwanted changes.

Common Limitations of Excel Change Tracking

Despite its capabilities, Excel has some limitations:

• No built-in detailed cell-level history like Word’s Track Changes
• Legacy Track Changes is being deprecated
• Offline files lack automatic version history
• Manual tracking requires discipline and planning

Understanding these limitations helps you choose the right method for your workflow.

When to Use Excel Change Tracking vs Other Tools

Excel works best for:

• Structured data
• Numerical analysis
• Collaborative reporting

For complex document review or legal editing, tools like Word or dedicated audit software may be more appropriate.

Conclusion

Tracking changes in Excel is a critical skill for anyone working with shared spreadsheets, from beginners managing simple lists to professionals handling complex financial or operational data. While Excel no longer relies heavily on its legacy Track Changes feature, modern tools like version history, real-time collaboration, workbook comparison, and comments offer more powerful and flexible ways to monitor edits.

By understanding and combining these methods, you can maintain transparency, reduce errors, and ensure data integrity across all your Excel projects. Whether you work solo or as part of a team, mastering change tracking will significantly improve your productivity and confidence when working in Excel.