How to Find Duplicates in Excel Between Two Sheets

In Microsoft Excel, it’s common to have multiple sheets with similar data but with slight differences. Identifying duplicates between two sheets can be time-consuming and frustrating when done manually. However, thanks to Excel’s powerful functionalities, finding duplicates in two sheets can be done quickly and effortlessly. In this blog post, we will guide you through step-by-step instructions on how to find duplicates in Excel between two sheets.

Introduction

Microsoft Excel is an excellent tool for sorting, filtering, and organizing data. Whether you’re a student, professional, or researcher, you’ll probably find yourself working with Excel sheets at some point. Often, you may have two similar sheets containing the same data as differently formatted or collected from different sources. However, it may be hard to find duplicates between the two sheets manually. Fortunately, Excel has features that make the process simple, and in this post, you will learn how to find duplicates in Excel between two sheets.

Method 1: Using Conditional Formatting

Conditional formatting is a useful tool used to identify duplicate values in Excel. By applying conditional formatting to two Excel sheets, you can highlight the cells that contain duplicate values. Here is how to go about it:

Step 1: Select Cells

Begin by selecting the cells you want to format. In this case, you’ll select the entire worksheet. To do this, click the upper-left-most cell in your data, which is usually A1 in most sheets, and then press “CTRL + A” to select the entire worksheet.

Step 2: Open Conditional Formatting

Next, click on the “Conditional Formatting” tab in the ribbon above the sheet and select “New Rule.”

Step 3: Define the Rule

The “New Formatting Rule” dialog box appears; select “Use a formula to determine which cells to format.” In the “Format values where this formula is true” text field, enter the following formula:

=COUNTIF(Sheet1!$A$1:$Z$26, A1) > 1

Note: Change “Sheet1” with the name of the first sheet you want to compare, and adjust the range to cover your data. “

Step 4: Choose Formatting

Once you have entered the formula, click the “Format” button to open the format dialog box. Here you can set the format of the cells that contain duplicates to stand out. Apply a background color, bold font or any other formatting you want to use to identify duplicates. Once you have applied your formatting, click “OK” to close all dialog boxes.

Step 5: Repeat Step 2 to 4

Repeat these steps for the second sheet. When both sheets have been formatted, you will see the duplicates highlighted in both sheets.

Method 2: Using Conditional Formatting and Highlighting

This second method uses the highlighting feature in Excel. Like the first method, it uses conditional formatting to highlight duplicates, but with this method, you can only highlight the duplicates in the first sheet.

Step 1: Select Cells

Select the cells containing the data you want to format.

Step 2: Apply Conditional Formatting

Open the conditional formatting dialog box by clicking on “Conditional Formatting” and select “New Rule.” Select “Use a formula to determine which cells to format,” and insert the following formula:

=VLOOKUP($A1, Sheet2!$A$1:$B$20, 2, FALSE)

Note: “$A1” is the first cell in your data. “$A$1:$B$20” is the range of data in the second sheet you want to compare with. Change “Sheet2” to the name of the second sheet you want to format.

Step 3: Set Format

Click “Format” and choose the format you want to use to highlight the duplicates. Click OK.

By the end of this post, you now know two methods for finding duplicates in Excel between two sheets. Choose the method that works best for you, and take advantage of Excel’s powerful features to save yourself time and effort.

Best Practices for Handling Duplicates

While finding duplicates in Excel is essential, it’s equally necessary to manage them effectively. Here are some best practices to follow when dealing with duplicates:

Delete Duplicates

If you have duplicates in your data sets, it’s best to delete them or remove them from your data sheets. Duplicate data can cause errors in your analysis and lead to incorrect conclusions. Excel has features that can help you delete duplicates; however, before deleting duplicates, ensure you have saved backups to avoid any accidental data loss.

Highlight Duplicates

Highlighting duplicates without deleting them is another approach to manage duplicates in your Excel sheet. This method is especially useful when your duplicates are present in multiple sheets and when comparing data sets. Highlighting duplicates across sheets can help you quickly identify inconsistencies and false positives.

Use Formulas

Excel functions such as “COUNTIF,” “VLOOKUP,” and “IF” can help you detect duplicates in your data sheets. These formulas can identify duplicates in specific columns or across sheets. You can also combine them with functions like “CONCATENATE” to compare strings with similar values.

Excel is a powerful tool for managing data with its numerous features. In this post, you have learned two effective methods for finding duplicates in Excel between two sheets. With this knowledge, you can save time and avoid errors by eliminating duplicates from your datasets. Additionally, we have outlined some best practices that will help you manage duplicates effectively in your excel sheets. By following these best practices and using Excel’s built-in functionalities, you will make your data management more efficient and error-free.

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQ) on how to find duplicates in Excel between two sheets:

Can I Find Duplicates in Excel Automatically?

Yes, Excel has built-in functions and formulas that can help you identify and eliminate duplicates quickly. You can use conditional formatting to highlight or delete duplicates in your datasets, or you can use Excel’s formula functions such as “COUNTIF” to identify duplicates in specific columns.

Can I Find Duplicate Cells Across Multiple Sheets?

Yes, Excel allows you to identify duplicates that are present across multiple sheets. You can use the “VLOOKUP” function to compare data sets between two sheets and highlight any duplicates that appear on both sheets.

What Do I Do When Excel Cannot Find Duplicates?

If Excel cannot find duplicates in your datasets, try checking your data for errors or formatting issues that might be preventing Excel from locating duplicates. Ensure that you have selected the correct cells and that the selected data is consistent and accurate.

How Can I Check for Duplicates in Excel Without Highlighting Them?

Excel allows you to find duplicates in your datasets without highlighting them. To do this, you can use the “COUNTIF” function to count the number of cells that contain duplicate data. This method helps you to see how many duplicates are present in your data and where they are located without highlighting them.

Is There a Quick Way to Remove Duplicates in Excel Sheets?

Yes, Excel provides a quick way for deleting duplicates from your data sheets. The easiest way to delete duplicates is by selecting the data range that contains duplicates, then click on the “Remove Duplicates” button on the Data ribbon. This tool makes deleting duplicates easy, and with duplicate records gone, your data will be more manageable and accurate.