Removing Duplicates Using the UNIQUE Function in Google Sheets

Are you tired of dealing with duplicate records in your Google Sheets? Well, worry no more! In this article, we’ll explore the powerful UNIQUE function and how it can help you remove duplicate values effortlessly. Let’s dive in!

Common Causes of Duplicate Records in Spreadsheets

Duplicate records in spreadsheets can occur due to various reasons. Here are some common culprits:

1. Copy-Pasting Data: When you copy and paste data, be cautious as it can lead to unintentional duplicates or even data loss.

2. Data Entry Errors: Manual data entry is prone to mistakes, which can result in accidental duplicate records.

3. Collaborative Editing: In collaborative environments, where multiple users have access to the same sheet, the chances of duplicate entries increase.

4. Google Forms Submissions: If you’re using Google Forms to collect data, multiple submissions can create duplicates if not managed properly.

5. Unstacking Data: When unstacking data using formulas, duplicate values in one or more columns are common. It’s important to ensure data integrity and manipulation.

By following best practices, handling data with care, and utilizing spreadsheet features wisely, you can minimize and address issues related to duplicate records.

Removing Duplicate Rows Using the UNIQUE Function in Google Sheets

Let’s say you have a list of your favorite books and authors. To remove any duplicate entries, we can use the UNIQUE function. Here’s how:

1. First, identify the range of data that contains the duplicates.
2. In an empty cell, enter the formula =UNIQUE(<range>). For example, =UNIQUE(B3:D8).
3. The UNIQUE function will filter out the duplicate rows, giving you a new list with only unique values.

That’s it! Your duplicate rows have been successfully removed using the UNIQUE function.

Removing Duplicate Columns Using the UNIQUE Function in Google Sheets

While row-wise data is often preferred in spreadsheets, there may be rare cases where you have your data arranged in columns. To remove duplicates in such cases, follow these steps:

1. Identify the range of data containing the duplicates.
2. In an empty cell, enter the formula =UNIQUE(<range>, TRUE). For example, =UNIQUE(A3:F5, TRUE).
3. The UNIQUE function will filter out the duplicate columns, giving you a new range with only unique values.

By using the UNIQUE function, you can easily remove duplicate columns, even in non-conventional data orientations.

Removing Duplicates and Real-life Applications

Apart from data clean-up, the UNIQUE function plays a crucial role in various real-life scenarios. For example, you can use it to obtain unique records for conditional count, sum, average, and more.

Let’s consider an example where we have a list of appliances with their respective prices. We can use the UNIQUE function to remove duplicate appliance names and then perform aggregations on the unique values.

With the UNIQUE function, you can easily remove duplicates and then apply the obtained results in other functions for conditional aggregation. This enables efficient data analysis and manipulation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the UNIQUE function in Google Sheets is a powerful tool for removing duplicate values, whether in rows or columns. By leveraging its capabilities, you can enhance your data analysis and manipulation techniques.

So go ahead, experiment with the UNIQUE function, and unlock new possibilities for efficiency and accuracy in your spreadsheets. Happy data cleaning!

Article originally published on Crawlan.com.