97: How can I find duplicate entries in a column?

[Shen]

Hello and thanks in advance for any help. This is a very basic question
from an even more basic user. I have a spread sheet with a long list of
ID numbers for skips. Sometimes duplicate numbers arise from paper work
from elsewhere and I get a false total of skips in hand. How can I
organise that column to highlight a duplicate entry please?

Shen

 

[Dave Peterson]

Insert a helper column:

=COUNTIF(A1:A9999,A1)
(adjust the range to suit.)

then the formulas that evaluate to more than 1 will be duplicated.

Chip Pearson has some other techniques at:
http://www.cpearson.com/excel/duplicat.htm

 

[Shen]

Thanks for that answer Dave but...

I cannot get any of those formulas to work. All I get is either nothing
at al or the #value.

I did say I am a VERY basic user. I have never used anything fancier
than just plain numbers. Nary a formula have I encountered before. If I
auto sum that is fancy stuff for me.

Anyone willing to give me a hand on this dumb basis?

Shen

PS. What's a "helper column?" I Canna find that in the help. Not that I
find the help to be much err.. help..

 

[Dave Peterson]

A helper column is just an extra column (way to the right or just inserted where
you want it).

And in my example, I used column A just because I didn't know what column your
data was in.

So what column is your data in and what formula did you use? (and where did you
put the formula?)

 

[Shen]

I have the info in column A.

I tried I think all the formulas and entered them into the formula lin
and used ctrl shift enter as told. Result was always #number or wor
then I was even unable to close the sheet at one point something abou
array ? Very confusing

 

[Dave Peterson]

Try this formula in that helper column one more time:

=COUNTIF($A$1:$A$9999,A1)

But don't hit ctrl-shift-enter. Just hit enter.

Even with ctrl-shift-enter, I got the correct result.

(I did add the $'s to the formula this time.)

 

[Shen]

Thanks Dave,

I have a result with this one and it is showing me just what I needed.
Many thanks indeed and I wish you and yours, and the Forum's of course
too, a very happy New Year when it comes.

Regards,

Shen