Question: I have cell values spanning over several columns and I want to create a unique list from that range. How?

Answer:

Edit: Updated blog article after Eero´s valuable comment.

Unique distinct text values from range tbl_text, array formula in B13:

=INDEX(tbl_text, MIN(IF(COUNTIF($B$12:B12, tbl_text)=0, ROW(tbl_text)-MIN(ROW(tbl_text))+1)), MATCH(0, COUNTIF($B$12:B12, INDEX(tbl_text, MIN(IF(COUNTIF($B$12:B12, tbl_text)=0, ROW(tbl_text)-MIN(ROW(tbl_text))+1)), , 1)), 0), 1) + CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER copied down as far as necessary.

Unique distinct num values from range tbl_num, array formula in D13:

=LARGE(IF(COUNTIF($D$12:D12, tbl_num)=0, tbl_num, ""), 1) + CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER copied down as far as necessary

Download excel sample file for this article.
Unique distinct values from multiple columns using array formulas.xls
(Excel 97-2003 Workbook *.xls)

Functions in this article

ROW(reference) Returns the rownumber of a reference

ROWS(array) returns the number of rows in a reference or an array

COUNTIF(range,criteria)
Counts the number of cells within a range that meet the given condition

IF(logical_test;[value_if:true];[value_if_false])
Checks whether a condition is met, and returns one value if TRUE, and another value if FALSE

MATCH(lookup_value;lookup_array; [match_type]
Returns the relative position of an item in an array that matches a specified value

INDEX(array,row_num,[column_num])
Returns a value or reference of the cell at the intersection of a particular row and column, in a given range

LARGE(array,k) returns the k-th largest row number in this data set.

MIN(number1,[number2])
Returns the smallest number in a set of values. Ignores logical values and text

This blog article is one out of thirteen articles on the same subject "unique".

• How to extract a unique distinct list from a column in excel
  
• Extract a unique distinct list from two columns using excel 2007 array formula
  
• Extract a unique distinct list from three columns in excel
• Extract distinct unique sorted year and month list from a date series in excel
  
• Create a unique distinct list from a date range in excel
  
• Unique values from multiple columns using array formulas
  
• Extract a unique distinct list sorted from A-Z from range in excel
  
• Sort a range by occurence using array formula in excel
  
• Filter unique distinct values from two ranges combined in excel 2007
• Create a unique list and sort by occurrances from large to small
  
• Unique list to be created from a column where an adjacent column has text cell values
  
• Create unique list from column where an adjacent column meets criteria
  
• How to create a unique distinct list where other columns meet two criteria

External resources:
Identifying Unique Values In An Array Or Range (VBA function)

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