What changed in my Google Sheet since last week?

Quick answer

Version history tells you who edited the file and highlights edited cells, but it does not clearly show rows that were inserted or deleted. The reliable way to see what changed is to keep a copy of the tab from last week and compare today's tab against it, row by row.

What Google Sheets already gives you

• Version history (File → Version history → See version history): earlier versions of the whole file, with edited cells highlighted in each editor's color.
• Cell edit history (right-click a cell → Show edit history): earlier values of one cell, with who changed it and when.
• Edit notifications (Tools → Notification settings): an email when the file changes, either right away or as a daily digest.

All three answer "who touched this?" well. None of them answers "which records are different from last week?"

Why version history misses inserted and deleted rows

Version history highlights cells that were edited. A deleted row is not an edited cell: it is simply gone from the newer version, so there is nothing left to highlight. An inserted row pushes everything below it down, and a sort moves records around, so it is hard to tell a genuinely new record from one that moved.

You also see one version at a time. There is no screen that says "these 3 rows were removed since Monday", so on a sheet with hundreds of rows, a missing record is easy to overlook.

The manual way: keep a weekly copy and compare it

1. Each Monday, right-click the tab and choose Duplicate. Rename the copy with the date, for example Orders 2026-10-14.
2. If the tab contains formulas, paste the copy over itself with Paste special → Values only, so last week's figures do not quietly recalculate.
3. With a unique ID in column A, list rows added since the copy:
   =FILTER(A2:A, A2:A<>"", COUNTIF('Orders 2026-10-14'!A2:A, A2:A)=0)
4. Run the same formula from the copy, pointing at the live tab, to list rows that were deleted.
5. To catch edited rows, add a fingerprint column to both tabs, for example =TEXTJOIN("|", FALSE, A2:F2) in column G, then flag rows whose fingerprint differs:
   =IFERROR(IF(G2=XLOOKUP(A2, 'Orders 2026-10-14'!A:A, 'Orders 2026-10-14'!G:G), "", "Edited"), "Added")

This works, but it relies on someone remembering to make the copy, a clean ID column, and a pile of helper formulas that need rebuilding when columns change.

The SheetDiff way: snapshots

1. Open the tab you want to track and choose Extensions → SheetDiff → Snapshot this tab. SheetDiff saves a hidden copy inside the same spreadsheet.
2. Keep working as normal. So can everyone you share the file with.
3. Next week, choose What changed in this tab?

SheetDiff shows the rows added, removed and edited since the snapshot, including the deleted rows that version history makes so hard to spot. As with every SheetDiff comparison, the results go to a separate report tab, so the tab you are tracking is never modified.

Tips for a useful weekly check

• Pick a fixed moment. Take the snapshot at the same point each week, such as after Friday's close, so "since last week" always means the same thing.
• Remember they are hidden tabs. Snapshots live inside the spreadsheet, so they count towards Google's cell limit for the file, and editors can unhide them.
• Compare across files too. If last week's data is in a different spreadsheet, see how to compare two Google Sheets files.

Can Google Sheets show me which rows were deleted?

Not as a list. You can open an older version in version history and look for the row yourself, or make a copy of that version. Comparing the current tab against a snapshot or an older copy lists deleted rows directly.

Does a snapshot record every edit as it happens?

No. A snapshot is a copy of the tab at the moment you take it. Comparing against it shows the net difference between then and now, not each individual edit in between or who made it. For who changed a cell, use version history or the cell's edit history.

Will taking a snapshot change my tab?

No. SheetDiff saves a hidden copy and leaves your tab as it is. Results of What changed in this tab? go to a separate report tab.

How many snapshots can I keep?

The free plan includes 3 snapshots. Pro, at $10 a year, makes snapshots and comparisons unlimited.

I didn't take a snapshot. Can I still see what changed since last week?

Yes. Open version history, pick a version from last week and use Make a copy. That copy is a separate file, so compare your current tab against it with IMPORTRANGE, or paste its link into SheetDiff. Then take a snapshot so next week is one click.