Extract a list of alphabetically sorted duplicates from a column

The following array formula extracts duplicate values sorted from A to Z from cell range B3:B21.

Excel array formula in C2:

How to enter an array formula

1. Copy above formula
2. Double press with left mouse button on cell D3
3. Paste formula to cell D3
4. Press and hold CTRL + SHIFT simultaneously
5. Press Enter once
6. Release all keys

The formula now looks like this: {=arrayformula}

Don't enter the curly brackets yourself, they appear automatically.

Explaining formula in cell C2

Step 1 - Count values

The COUNTIF fucntion counts values based on a condition or criteria, this way we can identify which values are duplicates and which are not.

COUNTIF($B$3:$B$21,$B$3:$B$21)

becomes

COUNTIF({"Federer, Roger "; "Djokovic, Novak "; "Murray, Andy "; ... ; "Almagro, Nicolas "},{"Federer, Roger "; "Djokovic, Novak "; "Murray, Andy "; ... ; "Almagro, Nicolas "})

and returns

{2;1;1;2;1;1;2;2;1;2;2;2;1;1;1;2;1;1;1}.

Step 2 - Display first instance of each duplicate

The following COUNTIF function makes sure that the output list only contains unique values. The first argument contains a cell reference that expands as the formula is copied to cells below.

COUNTIF(D2:$D$2,$B$3:$B$21)<>1

becomes

COUNTIF("Duplicates",{"Federer, Roger "; "Djokovic, Novak "; "Murray, Andy "; ... ; "Almagro, Nicolas "})<>1

becomes

{0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0; 0;0;0;0;0;0; 0;0;0;0;0}<>1

and returns

{TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE}.

Step 3 - Multiply arrays

Both values must return TRUE.

COUNTIF($B$3:$B$21,$B$3:$B$21)*(COUNTIF(D2:$D$2,$B$3:$B$21)

becomes

{2;1;1;2;1;1;2;2;1;2;2;2;1;1;1;2;1;1;1}*{TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE}

and returns

{2; 1; 1; 2; 1; 1; 2; 2; 1; 2; 2; 2; 1; 1; 1; 2; 1; 1; 1}.

Step 4 - Replace TRUE with a number representing the order if list were sorted

The IF function returns a value based on a logical expression, if TRUE the second argument is returned, if FALSE the third argument.

IF(COUNTIF($B$3:$B$21,$B$3:$B$21)*(COUNTIF(D2:$D$2,$B$3:$B$21)<>1)>1,COUNTIF($B$3:$B$21,"<"&$B$3:$B$21),"")

becomes

IF({2; 1; 1; 2; 1; 1; 2; 2; 1; 2; 2; 2; 1; 1; 1; 2; 1; 1; 1}>1,COUNTIF($B$3:$B$21,"<"&$B$3:$B$21),"")

becomes

IF({TRUE; FALSE; FALSE; TRUE; FALSE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; FALSE; FALSE; TRUE; FALSE; FALSE; FALSE},COUNTIF($B$3:$B$21,"<"&$B$3:$B$21),"")

becomes

IF({TRUE; FALSE; FALSE; TRUE; FALSE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; FALSE; FALSE; TRUE; FALSE; FALSE; FALSE},{7;6;11;3;14;5;7;3;16;9;17;9;1;12;13;17;2;15;0},"")

and returns

{7;"";"";3;"";"";7;3;"";9;17;9;"";"";"";17;"";"";""}.

Step 5 - Get smallest value in array

The MIN function returns the samllest value in a cell range or array.

MIN(IF(COUNTIF($A$2:$A$20, $A$2:$A$20)*IF(COUNTIF(C1:$C$1, $A$2:$A$20)=1, 0, 1)>1, COUNTIF($A$2:$A$20, "<"&$A$2:$A$20), ""))

becomes

MIN({7;"";"";3;"";"";7;3;"";9;17;9;"";"";"";17;"";"";""})

and returns 3.

Step 6 - Replace TRUE in array with a number representing the order if list were sorted

IF(COUNTIF($B$3:$B$21,$B$3:$B$21)>1,COUNTIF($B$3:$B$21,"<"&$B$3:$B$21),"")

becomes

IF({TRUE; FALSE; FALSE; TRUE; FALSE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; FALSE; FALSE; TRUE; FALSE; FALSE; FALSE}, COUNTIF($B$3:$B$21,"<"&$B$3:$B$21),"")

becomes

IF({TRUE; FALSE; FALSE; TRUE; FALSE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; TRUE; TRUE; TRUE; FALSE; FALSE; FALSE; TRUE; FALSE; FALSE; FALSE}, {7;6;11;3;14;5;7;3;16;9;17;9;1;12;13;17;2;15;0},"")

and returns {7;"";"";3;"";"";7;3;"";9;17;9;"";"";"";17;"";"";""}.

Step 7 - Return relative position

MATCH(MIN(IF(COUNTIF($B$3:$B$21,$B$3:$B$21)*(COUNTIF(D2:$D$2,$B$3:$B$21)<>1)>1,COUNTIF($B$3:$B$21,"<"&$B$3:$B$21),"")),IF(COUNTIF($B$3:$B$21,$B$3:$B$21)>1,COUNTIF($B$3:$B$21,"<"&$B$3:$B$21),""),0)

becomes

MATCH(3, {7;"";"";3;"";"";7;3;"";9;17;9;"";"";"";17;"";"";""},0)

and returns 4.

Step 8 - Return value

The INDEX function returns a value from a cell range based on a row and column number. The cell range is a single column so the column number is not neccessary.

INDEX($A$2:$A$20, MATCH(MIN(IF(COUNTIF($A$2:$A$20, $A$2:$A$20)*IF(COUNTIF(C1:$C$1, $A$2:$A$20)=1, 0, 1)>1, COUNTIF($A$2:$A$20, "<"&$A$2:$A$20), "")), IF(COUNTIF($A$2:$A$20, $A$2:$A$20)>1, COUNTIF($A$2:$A$20, "<"&$A$2:$A$20), ""), 0))

becomes

INDEX($A$2:$A$20, 4)

and returns "Davydenko, Nikolay " in cell D3.

Get excel sample file for this tutorial

how-to-extract-a-list-of-duplicates-sorted-a-to-z-from-a-column.xlsx

Duplicate values category

Extract a list of duplicates from a column
The array formula in cell C2 extracts duplicate values from column A. Only one duplicate of each value is displayed […]

Extract a list of duplicates from three columns combined
This webpage demonstrates formulas that merge three non-adjacent cell ranges. What's on this webpage Extract a list of duplicates from […]

Filter values that exists in all three columns
This article explains how to extract values that exist in three different columns, they must occur in each of the […]

Sort values category

Sort a column alphabetically
Table of Contents Sort a column - Excel 365 Sort a column using array formula Two columns sorting by the […]

Extract a unique distinct list sorted from A to Z ignore blanks
This article demonstrates ways to extract unique distinct sorted from A to Z ignoring blanks, and based on a condition. […]

Sort dates within a date range
Array formula in D5: =SMALL(IF(($B$3:$B$12<=$E$3)*($B$3:$B$12>=$E$2), $B$3:$B$12, "A"), ROWS($A$1:A1)) How to create an array formula Copy array formula Select cell D5 […]

Excel categories

Comments (1)