---
title: "Compare differences between replicated tables (Replication SP)"
description: Use replication stored procedures to compare the differences between replicated tables on the Publisher and the Subscriber. 
ms.custom: seo-lt-2019
ms.date: "03/14/2017"
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: "database-engine"
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: replication
ms.topic: conceptual
dev_langs: 
  - "TSQL"
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "tablediff utility"
  - "comparing replicated tables"
ms.assetid: cd253a17-0c85-42b4-912c-690169ebe799
author: "MashaMSFT"
ms.author: "mathoma"
monikerRange: "=azuresqldb-mi-current||>=sql-server-2016||=sqlallproducts-allversions"
---
# Compare differences between replicated tables (Replication Programming)
[!INCLUDE[appliesto-ss-asdbmi-xxxx-xxx-md](../../../includes/appliesto-ss-asdbmi-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]
  Article validation is used to determine if published data for table articles at the Publisher and Subscriber are not identical, which can indicate non-convergence. For more information, see [Validate Replicated Data](../../../relational-databases/replication/validate-data-at-the-subscriber.md). However, validation only returns pass or fail information and does not provide any information about what is different between the source and destination tables. The **tablediff** command prompt utility returns detailed difference information between two tables and can even generate a [!INCLUDE[tsql](../../../includes/tsql-md.md)] script to bring a subscription into convergence with data at the Publisher.  
  
> [!NOTE]  
>  The **tablediff** utility is only supported for [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] servers.  
  
### To compare replicated tables for differences using tablediff  
  
1.  From the command prompt at any server in a replication topology, run the [tablediff Utility](../../../tools/tablediff-utility.md). Specify the following parameters:  
  
    -   **-sourceserver** - name of the server on which the data is known to be correct, usually the Publisher.  
  
    -   **-sourcedatabase** - name of the database containing the correct data.  
  
    -   **-sourcetable** - name of the source table for the article being compared.  
  
    -   (Optional) **-sourceschema** - schema owner of the source table, if not the default schema.  
  
    -   (Optional) **-sourceuser** and **-sourcepassword** when using SQL Server Authentication to connect to the Publisher.  
  
        > [!IMPORTANT]  
        >  When possible, use Windows Authentication. If you must use [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Authentication, prompt users to enter security credentials at runtime. If you must store credentials in a script file, you must secure the file to prevent unauthorized access.  
  
    -   **-destinationserver** - name of the server on which the data is being compared, usually a Subscriber.  
  
    -   **-destinationdatabase** - name of a the database being compared.  
  
    -   **-destinationtable** - name of the table being compared.  
  
    -   (Optional) **-destinationschema** - schema owner of the destination table, if not the default schema.  
  
    -   (Optional) **-destinationuser** and **-destinationpassword** when using [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Authentication to connect to the Subscriber.  
  
        > [!IMPORTANT]  
        >  When possible, use Windows Authentication. If you must use [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Authentication, prompt users to enter security credentials at runtime. If you must store credentials in a script file, you must secure the file to prevent unauthorized access.  
  
    -   (Optional) Use **-c** to do a column-level comparison.  
  
    -   (Optional) Use **-q** to do a fast, row count- and schema-only comparison.  
  
    -   (Optional) Specify a file name and path for **-o** to output the results to a file.  
  
    -   (Optional) Specify a table in the subscription database into which to insert results for **-et**. If the table already exists, specify **-dt** to first drop the table.  
  
    -   (Optional) Use **-f** to generate a [!INCLUDE[tsql](../../../includes/tsql-md.md)] file to fix data at the Subscriber so that it matches data at the Publisher. Use **-df** to specify the number of [!INCLUDE[tsql](../../../includes/tsql-md.md)] statements in each file.  
  
    -   (Optional) Use **-rc** and **-ri** to specify the number of times to retry an operation and the retry interval.  
  
    -   (Optional) Use **-strict** to enforce strict schema comparison between source and destination tables.  
  
## See Also  
 [Validate Data at the Subscriber](../../../relational-databases/replication/validate-data-at-the-subscriber.md)