We, humans like to compare. Whether we are on Facebook or workbook, we want to compare. So how do you compare two tables and extract common values? Simple, use Power Query. It can merge (a la join) tables and give you the common values.
If you just want to highlight matching values between two tables, See this tip.
Extract common values from two table – Step by Step tutorial
Let’s say you have two tables like this:
Load these tables in to Power Query. You end up with two queries – say Table1 and Table2.
Related: What is Power Query?
Now, go to Home ribbon of Power Query and click on Merge Queries > Merge Queries as New.
In the Merge options, set up the choices like this. You can hold CTRL to multi-select columns to join based on two or more columns.
Pro-tip: You can also apply other kinds of join. For example, use Left-Anti join to see values that are only in first table.
The result would be common values between two tables. You can load this data to Excel or to Data Model for further analysis.
Extract common values from two tables – Video Tutorial
What if you wanted to just highlight common values? What if you just want to compare based on a single column? Watch this video for all these scenarios and see solutions for simple to complex comparison problems.
You can see this and many other FREE Excel + Power BI tips at Chandoo.org YouTube Channel.
Common Values from two tables – Sample file
Please click here to download FREE sample workbook for this tip. Examine the Power Query steps to see how the two table are merged.
More ways to compare things in Excel…
I have thing for comparisons, when it comes to data. That is why over the years, I wrote many posts on this topic. Check out below to learn other ways to compare data in Excel.
- Compare two lists and highlight matching values – 5 second tip!!!
- Compare two lists using formulas – COUNTIFS to rescue
- Compare two cells and highlight matching words / phrases – VBA tip
- Match debits & credits – Pivot Table tip
How do you compare common values?
Power Query is my preferred method for comparing, merging or combining data. What about you? Are you hooked on Power Query yet? Please post your preferred method for comparing and extracting values in comments box.
21 Responses to “Distinct count in Excel pivot tables”
The distinct count option works well but I have found that if I have a date field and want to group by year, month, etc. that option seems to be disabled. I need to do both, distinct count and group by year/month.
Example data; sales orders with item quantities with dates.
Challenge; sum the item quantities, count the distinct orders and group by month. How do I do this?
Perhaps that's not possible due to the grouping?
@Al... When you use data model based pivots, you cannot group values manually anymore. Why not use Excel 2016's default date grouping option? In this case we have just a few dates, so Excel is not grouping them, but if you have an year's worth of data, when you make the pivot with date in the row label area, Excel automatically groups them. If you have fewer dates or want to use your own grouping, just create a table with all dates, add columns with month, week, year etc. Then connect this table (these types of tables are usually called as calendar tables) to your data on date field as a relationship. Now you can create reports by month, quarter etc easily.
Is this the only way to do it in 2013? I find it rather cumbersome to have to create another data table listing dates with the another column for MONTH() and YEAR() to be able to summarise data for senior level...
I know people find adding calendar tables cumbersome, but it is a best practice and let's you add more layers of analysis quite easily. For example, adding analysis by weekday vs. weekend or by financial quarter or YTD calculations (you would need either Power Pivot DAX or some very carefully setup pivot table value field settings)
I had absolutely no idea this was possible. Very useful, nice work!
Doesn't work for 2010 version though (or at least not my works version)
Hi ,
The post has the following in it :
These instructions work only in Excel 2016, Office 365 and Excel 2013.
when i have 2 different Pivot tables, one without the enabled “Add this data to data model” option, and the other one with it enabled.. is there anyway i can link slicers between them?
if the answer is NO,, what to do ?
Quick note, the “Add this data to data model” option is not available for the Mac version.
perhaps outside scope of this article but I have found when I attempt to create a pivot table from an external data source (connection to a sql view) the "Add this data to data model" becomes greyed out. Anybody experienced and found a solution so I can start getting distinct count in my pivot tables?
Is there a way to still add a calculated field when using distinct count?
I found I can't change the date source after tick the " add this data to the data model", can you help to adv how to change the date source in such case?
Is there a way to update the source once you have added to the data model? I receive a new spreadsheet weekly and would like to update the connection so my tables pull from the new source.
Hi Crhis, I like how you have hulk (superhero) as your avatar. Do you know that there is a superhero in Excel too? It's Power Query. You can use it to solve your problem in a simple click. Here an intro if you need some guidance.
Powerful Introduction to Power Query
A big Thank you. It worked.
Hi, have survey data that I need to analyze but the challenge is that my key fields are showing horizontally. I tried to transpose the fields using Power Query, but unfortunately the new fields are returning same values on a pivot table despite using distinct values
How I can a do a pivot table with discount conts in some columns and then generate shor report filter pages. pls it drives crazy
Hi. Why grand total pivot of distinct count is 13? shouldn't it be 67?
Great Answer! Saved me lots of time!
Thank you!!!
Worked awesome! Thanks!!
Hi Chandoo,
I am using pivot tables for distinct count and now I need to update them with new set of data. But when I update the source data, all the columns and formatting of Pivot table disappears and I need to build it from Scratch.
Is there a possibility that I can update the source data with new rows added and also retain my pivot tables?