# Comparing snapshots

Inforiver allows you to compare snapshots, for instance, you can compare the snapshots taken at the close of each quarter or each year. Inforiver 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 be compared from the Select snapshots dropdown. You can select the measures to be compared from the Series dropdown. By default, Inforiver compares all the measures.

<figure><img src="/files/4yddZVgQTFu94ZfYXqx1" 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 re-loaded.
{% 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/fY77ogWgPFgTzvW0tjF1" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

You can enable the *Show rows with changes* option to display only the rows which have changes.&#x20;

<figure><img src="/files/DI8rpdcjGngvPa9LpAUq" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

For users in 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/uWZVXtDBnCP5OeWmzz1X" alt=""><figcaption></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/O910JZ6OBg2RJSc4DBI5" alt=""><figcaption><p>Comparing scenarios</p></figcaption></figure>

In the next section, we'll look at [scheduling reports](/premium-table/working-with-premium-table/11.-scheduling-reports.md).


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