
Tips.Net > ExcelTips Home > Editing > Deleting > Removing Duplicate Cells
Summary: If you have a list of data in a worksheet, you know how difficult it can be to get rid of duplicates. This tip presents a macro that makes paring down your data list easier than you thought possible. (This tip works with Microsoft Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, and Excel 2003.)
I can't tell you the number of times I have received raw data from some program or from some person, and the first thing I need to do is remove duplicates from the list. If you find yourself in the same situation, the following macro will be a huge help:
Sub DelDups()
Dim rngSrc As Range
Dim NumRows As Integer
Dim ThisRow As Integer
Dim ThatRow As Integer
Dim ThisCol As Integer
Dim J As Integer, K As Integer
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Set rngSrc = ActiveSheet.Range(ActiveWindow.Selection.Address)
NumRows = rngSrc.Rows.Count
ThisRow = rngSrc.Row
ThatRow = ThisRow + NumRows - 1
ThisCol = rngSrc.Column
'Start wiping out duplicates
For J = ThisRow To (ThatRow - 1)
If Cells(J, ThisCol) > "" Then
For K = (J + 1) To ThatRow
If Cells(J, ThisCol) = Cells(K, ThisCol) Then
Cells(K, ThisCol) = ""
End If
Next K
End If
Next J
'Remove cells that are empty
For J = ThatRow To ThisRow Step -1
If Cells(J, ThisCol) = "" Then
Cells(J, ThisCol).Delete xlShiftUp
End If
Next J
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
The macro works on a selection you make before calling it. Thus, if you need to remove duplicate cells from the range C15:C59, simply select that range and then run the macro. If you select more than a single column in the range (for instance, C15:E59), then only the first column in the range is affected. When the macro is complete, the duplicate cells are removed, as are any blank cells.
Tip #2109 applies to Microsoft Excel versions: 97 2000 2002 2003
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