How to Sync Two Versions of a Document Using a Comparison Application

Last week we showed how you can use the WinMerge application to compare two files and locate the differences between them. In that example we compared two Word documents, but we could have just as easily compared two Excel or PowerPoint files. The WinMerge application displays missing, different and shared data between two documents.

This post continues with this subject by showing how you can sync two versions of a document using the WinMerge application.

How to Sync Two Versions of a Document Using a Comparison Application

Once you have compared two documents using WinMerge, you can use the application to sync those pieces you would like to keep into the version of the document you prefer.

With the results of a comparison between two document versions you can choose which items to sync.

To sync items to the document version you plan to keep:

• Locate the first item in the document you do not plan to keep.
• Right-click on the text with the orange background, meaning it is not in the other document, and select the "Copy to Right" or "Copy to Left" option from the pop-up menu.

NOTE: The "Copy to Right" or "Copy to Left" selection you choose will depend upon which side the version of the document you want to keep is on. In our example, we are syncing items from the previous document on the left to the document version we want to keep which is on the right.

You can also use the menu bar at the top to "Copy to Left" or "Copy to Right" rather than right-clicking. To do this, simply click on the icons that represent this in the iconography bar at the top.

Lastly, you might find reasons to copy items both directions. For example, if you are working with two spreadsheets and find a formula that is incorrect in the older file version, you might want to update that for historical reasons even though you are using the other version as your main file. Another good example of why this can be useful is if you had hyperlinks in a PowerPoint that were incorrect, you would want to fix those in any older file version just in case you ever shared or used the file again.

Locating the differences between two files can be a really useful tool. WinMerge is capable of comparing two files so you can locate the differences between two files, but it can also be helpful in syncing data between files. This can help restore functions, fix hyperlinks, or simply restore data you never intended to remove or modify.

As always, knowing how an application can be useful is key in saving time and preventing the expense of purchasing additional software.