Searching for duplicate numbers

[Uncle Guinness]

Morning All

Please forgive this newbie question ... hopefully the answer will be
whole heap simplier than my explanation.

I have a spreadsheet in which I enter data from fellow employees.
Each employee has a unique number, and the data from them is entere
(pasted) into a new row - with the employee numbers all in column B.

Some people will send me their data twice (or more!) and it's usuall
different. Is there a simple formula I can have which warns me if a
employee number is duplicated (ie - already entered above) - so I ca
promptly go back to the employee and ask them which data is correct.

Each week I create a new sheet for the next lot of data so it woul
need to be a function that I can move / copy from sheet to sheet.

Thank you for reading this ... I do appreciate it.

Kind Regards to All

 

[PCLIVE]

One way is to use a column that is dedicated to determining if there are any
duplicate numbers in column B.

=IF(COUNTIF(B:B,B1)>1,"Alert","")

You can put this formula in say, H1. Then copy the formula down as
necessary. It will display "Alert" in column H in the same rows that the
duplicates exist. Otherwise, it will remain blank.

You could also use conditional formatting. Highlight column B. Select
Format and Conditional Formatting. Change dropdown from "Cell Value Is" to
"Formula Is".
Then to the right use this formula:
=COUNTIF(B:B,B1)>1

Next change the formatting and set the pattern (background) to a color that
you want the cell to change to if there is a duplicate.

HTH,
Paul

"Uncle Guinness"

 

[Trevor Shuttleworth]

Assuming the unique numbers start in cell A2, put the following formula in a
cell on row 2, for example, E2, and then drag down:

=IF(COUNTIF(A:A,A2)>1, "Duplicate","")

Regards

Trevor


"Uncle Guinness"