investigate changes to an excel file

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ksk h2o - 29 Oct 2007 09:00 GMT

Hello,

I'm trying to find ways in which one could see the changes made to an
excel file. The problem is we have to check the authenticity of a
file and was wondering if there was any way on earth to see if a file
was altered (columns added, copy/paste made) after a database was
exported to excel?

If there is no way a moderately capable user can find these changes,
is there any company/programs/experts that can do this?

thanks

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Nick Hodge - 29 Oct 2007 14:56 GMT

Check out under Tools>Track changes...

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Nick Hodge
Microsoft MVP - Excel
Southampton, England
nick_hodgeTAKETHISOUT@zen.co.ukANDTHIS
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> Hello,
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> thanks

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Dave Peterson - 29 Oct 2007 16:02 GMT

Myrna Larson and Bill Manville have developed a compare that's very nice.

http://www.cpearson.com/excel/whatsnew.htm
look for compare.xla

It checks cell by cell (for formula/value/formatting changes, IIRC).

Maybe that will be enough to help you determine if there was a significant
change.

> Hello,
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> thanks

Signature

Dave Peterson

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ksk h2o - 29 Oct 2007 21:56 GMT

> Myrna Larson and Bill Manville have developed a compare that's very nice.
>
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
>
> Dave Peterson

Thanks for the replies.

The problem is we do not have an original file, just one received xls
that we need to check for fraud. I was thinking if there was any way
one could use a resource editor to see what were the latest activities
on the file.

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Dave Peterson - 29 Oct 2007 22:40 GMT

Excel keeps track of the last person who edited the workbook. But I don't think
it keeps track of what (if anything) changed.

> > Myrna Larson and Bill Manville have developed a compare that's very nice.
> >
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
> one could use a resource editor to see what were the latest activities
> on the file.

Signature

Dave Peterson

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SysMod - 31 Oct 2007 09:22 GMT

> The problem is we do not have an original file, just one received xls
> that we need to check for fraud. I was thinking if there was any way
> one could use a resource editor to see what were the latest activities
> on the file

No. If the file had Track Changes on it, you could see them.
If not, you need something to compar it to.
An original version you sent out;
or received from another source, such as an independent export from
that database
or the same one last month;
or do another query from the same db when you get the file;
or inspect and compare against a written spec;

think of other ways.

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