1. Using Conditional Formatting:
This method allows you to highlight duplicate entries visually, making them easier to identify and manage. Here's how to do it:
Highlight the column where you want to find duplicates.
Go to Format > Conditional formatting.
In the "Format cells if..." box, select "Custom formula is".
Enter the formula: =COUNTIF($A$2:$A$10, A2)>1 (replace A2:A10 with your actual data range). This formula checks if the count of appearances of the value in cell A2 within the specified range (A2:A10) is greater than 1.
Choose a formatting style for highlighting duplicates (e.g., fill color or text color).
Click "Done".
Cells with duplicate values will now be highlighted in the chosen color, making them easily identifiable.
2. Using the UNIQUE formula:
This method creates a new list containing only unique values from your original data set. Here's how to use it:
In an empty column, enter the formula: =UNIQUE(A2:A10) (replace A2:A10 with your actual data range).
The formula will extract and list all unique values present in the specified range.
This method provides a clean list of unique entries, but it doesn't visually highlight duplicates in the original data set.
Additional Tips:
You can adjust the formula in the conditional formatting method to search for duplicates across multiple columns by including them in the range (e.g., =COUNTIF($A$2:$C$10, A2)>1).
For more complex duplicate identification scenarios, consider using add-ons available in the Google Sheets marketplace.