How to Display Two Excel Tables Side by Side with Independent Scrolling
Question details
The user wants a specific Excel workbook to automatically open with two tables displayed side by side, allowing for independent scrolling without the views being synchronized.
- Product
- Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Comparing two worksheets or tables simultaneously without their scrollbars locking together, and having this layout persist every time the workbook is opened.
- Observed behavior
- Excel's Split Panes use synchronized scrolling, and the View Side by Side feature does not save its state permanently upon closing the workbook.
Ensure your workbook is saved before adjusting window layouts. If you intend to automate this process so it opens automatically in side-by-side view, be prepared to save your file as an Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook (.xlsm).
Use the 'New Window' and 'View Side by Side' Features Manually
This is the standard, no-code method to view two worksheets from the same workbook side by side with independent scrolling.
While Excel does not permanently save this view setting for the next time you open the file, this method is the easiest way to manually set up independent side-by-side scrolling for your current session.
Navigate to the 'View' tab on the Excel ribbon and click on 'New Window'. This opens a second view of your current workbook.
Go back to the 'View' tab and click 'View Side by Side'. If prompted, select the specific workbook window you want to compare.
By default, the two windows will scroll together. To scroll them independently, click the 'Synchronous Scrolling' button (usually located right below the View Side by Side button) to turn it off.
Automate Side-by-Side View using a VBA Macro
Use a VBA macro to force the workbook to open two windows, arrange them side by side, and disable synchronous scrolling automatically every time the file is opened.
Easily View Worksheets Side by Side in WPS Spreadsheet
WPS Office offers intuitive window management, allowing you to easily open multiple worksheets side by side with independent scrolling for seamless data comparison and editing.
- 1. Open your file in WPS Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Office and open the spreadsheet document you want to analyze.
- 2. Create a New Window: Navigate to the 'View' tab and click 'New Window' to open a secondary view of your current file.
- 3. Arrange and Disable Sync Scrolling: Click 'Arrange All' to place them side by side. Ensure 'Synchronous Scrolling' is untoggled in the View tab to scroll independently.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my Excel worksheets scroll together when viewed side by side?
By default, Excel enables a feature called 'Synchronous Scrolling' whenever you activate 'View Side by Side'. You can easily disable this behavior by clicking the 'Synchronous Scrolling' button located in the View tab of the ribbon.
Can I save the side-by-side view so it opens like that automatically without VBA?
No, native Excel does not save multi-window or side-by-side arrangements as a default view that persists after closing the program. You must either set up the view manually each time or use a VBA macro (Workbook_Open) to automate it.
Does the 'Split' feature allow independent scrolling?
Yes, but it behaves differently. The 'Split' feature divides a single worksheet into two or four scrollable panes, allowing you to scroll through different sections of the exact same sheet independently. If you need to view two different worksheets side by side, you must use the 'New Window' and 'View Side by Side' method instead.
