SharePoint Document Issues

How to Track and Highlight Changes in Excel on SharePoint

Natalie Taylor Oct 9, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs a method to track changes and visually highlight edits made by other collaborators in an Excel workbook hosted on SharePoint.

How to Track and Highlight Changes in an Excel File Stored in SharePoint

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Collaborating on a shared Excel workbook stored in SharePoint and needing to easily identify which cells have been modified by others.
Observed behavior: The user is looking for an automated or visual solution to track edits and highlight differences without manually comparing data.

Before you start

Before attempting to track changes, ensure you have edit access to the shared Excel file on SharePoint and consider creating a duplicate worksheet to act as a baseline for your original data.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Conditional Formatting to Highlight Differences

Compare your current working sheet with a baseline sheet using a conditional formatting formula to automatically highlight edited cells.

This method requires you to keep an original copy of your data in a separate sheet within the same workbook. By comparing the live sheet to the original sheet, Excel will automatically highlight any discrepancies.

Duplicate Original Data

Before sharing the file, right-click your main worksheet tab, select 'Move or Copy', check 'Create a copy', and rename the new sheet to 'Original_Data'.

Select the Collaborative Data Range

Go to the live sheet where collaborators will make edits. Select the entire data range you want to monitor (e.g., A1:Z100).

Apply Conditional Formatting

Navigate to the 'Home' tab on the ribbon, click 'Conditional Formatting', and select 'New Rule'.

Enter the Comparison Formula

Choose 'Use a formula to determine which cells to format'. Enter a formula that compares the active cell to the original sheet, such as =A1<>Original_Data!A1.

Set the Highlight Format

Click 'Format', go to the 'Fill' tab, choose a highlight color like yellow, and click 'OK' to apply the rule. Edited cells will now highlight automatically.

Use Conditional Formatting to Highlight Differences

Dynamic Updates: As collaborators type over the existing data on the live sheet, the conditional formatting will immediately highlight the changes in your chosen color.

Solution 2

Automate Tracking Using Office Scripts

Since VBA macros are not supported in Excel for the Web, use Office Scripts to programmatically track and log edits in SharePoint.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Easily Track Changes with WPS Office Collaboration

If tracking edits in Excel on SharePoint feels overly complicated, consider using WPS Office. WPS offers a robust, free, and lightweight alternative with seamless Microsoft Excel format compatibility and intuitive built-in cloud co-editing tools.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx, .xls) formatsIntuitive shared editing and version history via WPS CloudLightweight software that runs quickly on older devicesFamiliar interface allowing for a seamless transition from Microsoft Office

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the legacy 'Track Changes' feature in Excel on SharePoint?

The legacy 'Track Changes' feature is mostly deprecated in newer versions and Excel for the Web. Instead, Microsoft encourages using the 'Show Changes' pane, which lists edits but does not visually highlight the cells directly on the grid.

Do VBA macros work for Excel files stored in SharePoint?

VBA macros do not run in Excel for the Web (the default way files open in SharePoint). To automate tasks in the web version, you must use Office Scripts.

How can I see who made a specific edit in my shared Excel file?

In Excel for the Web, you can go to the 'Review' tab and click 'Show Changes' to open a side pane. This pane will list the edit history, detailing who made the change, what the previous value was, and when it occurred.

Document & File Issues