# Comparing snapshots

Planning sheet enables you to compare snapshots; for instance, you can compare snapshots taken at the close of each quarter or year. The Planning sheet also calculates the absolute and relative variance between the measures in the snapshots.

To compare snapshots, click on the **Compare Snapshot** button. You can then select the snapshots to compare from the **Select snapshots** dropdown. You can select the measures to be compared from the **Series** dropdown. By default, the Planning sheet compares all the measures.

<figure><img src="/files/D0DOMYiex3I5vzbMSph4" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="https://github.com/lumelinc/PowerTableDocs/blob/main/.gitbook/assets/image%20(1601).png" alt=""><figcaption><p>Compare snapshots</p></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="info" %}
Snapshot comparisons are not saved; they will not be available after the visual is reloaded.
{% endhint %}

In **Variance Settings**, you can disable the **Increase is good** option when an increase in value does not imply a positive change - for example, an increase in the debt or interest paid.

<figure><img src="/files/5kmtLOLrF17FVuhT2eiY" alt=""><figcaption><p>Variance Settings toggle</p></figcaption></figure>

You can enable the **Show rows with change***s* option to display only the rows that have changes.

<figure><img src="/files/gFr6QwismkKfpc7PMXdL" alt=""><figcaption><p>Show rows with changes</p></figcaption></figure>

For users in the reading view to be able to compare snapshots, the **Compare permission** needs to be enabled in the Allowed User Controls settings.

<figure><img src="/files/1taUVkYWBRrVoTLwNb3S" alt=""><figcaption><p>Compare permissions in reading mode.</p></figcaption></figure>

### Comparing scenarios with snapshots

In the previous module, we learnt how to take snapshots of scenarios. We can compare scenarios with snapshots - just select the snapshots of the scenarios from the dropdowns to compare them.

<figure><img src="/files/KRPUPN4C7DfZO2Nu4ju0" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="https://github.com/lumelinc/PowerTableDocs/blob/main/.gitbook/assets/image%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1).png" alt=""><figcaption><p>Comparing scenarios</p></figcaption></figure>

In the next section, we'll look at [scheduling reports](https://github.com/lumelinc/PowerTableDocs/blob/main/working-with-inforiver/11.-scheduling-reports).


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