Assigning numbers to a like items

[woemlavy]

I have a column of categories like:

computer
computer
computer
server
server
server
monitor
monitor
monitor
usb
mouse
mouse
mouse

I want to be able to assign a unique number to each like item.
(Imagine 100,000 different categories)

The end results would be:

1, computer
1, computer
1, computer
2, server
2, server
2, server
3, monitor
3, monitor
3, monitor
4, usb
5, mouse
5, mouse
5, mouse

Thanks for any help.

 

[Max]

One play ..

Assuming source data is in A1 down

Put:

In B1: =IF(A1="","",IF(COUNTIF($A$1:A1,A1)>1,"",ROW()))
In C1: =IF(A1="","",COUNT($B$1:B1))
In D1: =IF(A1="","",C1&", "&A1)

Select B11, copy down as far as required

Col D will return the required results

Just do an in-place: copy > paste special > values > OK
on col D to freeze the results, if required

 

[woemlavy]

This worked great for me.

Thanks Max!

 

[Max]

Glad to hear that !
Thanks for the feedback ..

 

[Guest]

If your data in in colu,mn B, then in A1 put 1 and in A2 put:

=IF(B2=B1,A1,A1+1) and copy down