Removing duplicate data is like morning coffee for us, data analysts. Our day must start with it.
It is no wonder that I have written extensively about it (here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8).
But today I want to show you a technique I have been using to dynamically extract and sort all unique items from a last list of values using Pivot Tables & OFFSET formula.
This is how it goes…,
Step 1: Select your data & Create a pivot table
Just select any cell and insert a pivot table. Very simple right?
Step 2: Drag the field(s) to row label area of pivot
Like this.
Make sure you have turned off grand totals and sub-totals as we just need the names. And sort the pivot table.
Step 3: Create a named range that refers to the pivot table values
Using OFFSET formula, we can create a named range that refers to pivot table values and grows or shrinks as the pivot is refreshed. Assuming the pivot table row values start in cell F6, write a formula like,
=OFFSET($F$6, 0,0,COUNTA($F:$F)-1,1) and map it to a name like lstProducts.
The formula gives us all the values in column F, starting F6. The COUNTA($F:$F)-1 ensures that we get only row labels and not the title (in this case Product Names).
Step 4: Use the named range in formulas etc. as you see fit
That is all. Nothing else.
Just make sure that you refresh the pivot table whenever source data changes.
Download example file with this technique
Click here to download an example file and play with it to understand how this works.
How do you deal with duplicate data?
In my work, I come across duplicate data all the time. I have been using pivot table based technique with great success. It is fast, reliable and easy to setup. The only glitch is that you need to refresh the pivot tables whenever source data changes. However, you can automate this by writing a simple macro.
What about you? How do you deal with duplicate data? Share your techniques, tips & ideas using comments.
17 Responses to “Custom Number Formats – Colors”
You are right, Chandoo. I was playing with the colour numbers last week and some of them don't appear different from each other. Others are totally different from yours.
@Duncan
Each version of Excel, post 2003, renders colors slightly differently
Different language versions may also have different default color palettes
Hello in french
excel 2010
colo1 = couleur1 = black
[couleur1]; [couleur2]; etc..
@Hui, thank you very much again for this great post.
However - under Excel 2007, Hungarian version your solution does not work with color names. I've tried both English and Hungarian names, but drops an error message "not valid formats"
Do you have any idea how to solve this issue?
thanks in advance
@Andras
Without a Hungarian version of Excel 2003 I don't think I can assist
Have you tried using the colour numbers? I couldn't get the names to work (despite using an english version of excel). but it did work with the numbers though. I left out the "u" and was easily able to produce burgundy using [color9]
Here a possible solution: find an English version of Excel, write there the formats using English names, then open the file in the Hungarian version and see the translation.
In Excel 2007 I can't get the colour names to work e.g Sea Green but the numbers do e.g color3 - colour3 does not work so I must bow to the country that has stolen my language (ha ha!)
Hey chandoo, nice Tip!
Wouldn't be easier just apply some conditional formatting for negative numbers and another for positive numbers? Or there's some cases that you can't do that?
Unfortunately the TEXT function doesn't color the cell as number formatting does.
Hi Hui,
Great post Sir, love the new way of formatting with color numbers.
I am using 2007, and it leads me to the last color number 56.
Thanks Hui.
[…] explains how to set up custom number formats with a wide array of […]
Thanks Hui - works a treat!
Thank you, very helpful.
Trying to figure out if it is possible to apply color only to a part of the cell?
E.g. I have a value formatted as Accounting with a currency symbol.
Those I find somewhat distracting though necessary. If I could make them less obtrusive by coloring them gray while the number would stay black, that would be great. Tried tinkering with the format string, but didn't get the desired result. Single color for complete cell value works, but coloring just part of it could not be achieved. Maybe somebody managed that?
Exactly what I was looking for - thank you!
colour in the Australian doesn't work - we have to go American and no problem.
I always thought is was 56 colours notice you have 57. Cool.
thanks
Analir Pisani
Customised Microsoft Office Training Specialist
Sydney - Australia
http://www.azsolutions.com.au
Thank You!