Excel - =Unique Function

=Unique function 

=Unique is a function used in Excel to find only Unique values in a range or array. 

e.g. If you have a list of Departments:  Illustrative image

We can use the unique function to identify all the unique values in this list and produce a list of them:  Illustrative image

Using the Unique Function

The Syntax for Unique is:

=UNIQUE(array,[by_col],[exactly_once])

array 

The range or array from which to return unique rows or columns

 
by_colTrue/False (optional) will decide how to compare values 
 -trueCompare columns against each other and return the unique columns
 -falseCompare Rows against each other and return the unique values
exactly_once True/False (optional) will return rows or columns that occur exactly once in the range or array 
 -truewill return all distinct rows or columns that occur exactly once from the range or array
 -falsewill return all distinct rows or columns from the range or array

 

Examples:

1. =Unique(A1:A30) : this will produce a unsorted list of unique values:  Illustrative image

2. =Sort(Unique(A1:A30)): This function will nest the unique function within to make sure the unique values are sorted ascending A-Z:  Illustrative image

3.  To be continued

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