If several users worked on one table or if it was created from several tables, it may contain duplicate data. You can remove them automatically using the Remove duplicates command.
How the command works
–The search for duplicates in a table or a specified range is performed line by line.
–When deleting duplicates, only the first row of the found matches is saved, the rest are deleted.
Limitations
Searching for and deleting duplicates is impossible in the following cases:
–The selected range contains: an array formula; pivot table cells; or merged cells.
–The range represents a smart table or part of a smart table. If the range contains only smart table cells, the operation is performed.
–There is a gap between the selected cells, rows, columns, or ranges (for example, columns A and C are selected but column B is not selected).
Special cases
–If there are hidden or filtered rows and columns in the selected range, their values are ignored when searching for duplicates.
–After duplicates are removed, hidden rows and columns remain hidden, but the data in the cells of the hidden rows may change due to upward shifting of the data.
Remove duplicates
1.Select the range of cells in which you want to find duplicates. If a single cell is selected, the application will automatically expand the range to neighboring cells with data.
2.On the Data tab, click the Remove duplicates button.
3.In the Remove duplicates window:
•Check the With header row check box if the first row of your range contains column names (this row will be excluded from the validation).
•Check the Expand automatically check box to include data adjacent to the selected range in the search.
•In the Columns area, select the columns in which you want to search for duplicates, unchecking the columns you want to exclude.
4.Click the OK button.