Finding duplicate values (or unique values) with Conditional Formatting

Sometimes when inserting lots of rows of information it is easy to lose track of data we have already entered, and make mistakes.

Multiple entries of the same data may occur for many reasons including information being added intermittently or by different people. No matter the cause, detecting duplicates via conditional formatting makes noticing such cases easy.

But duplicate entries may not necessarily be made by mistake. Imagine you are giving away expensive samples and a random person is trying to benefit off that. If you have predefined your formatting rules properly, a duplicate will automatically glow red and the would-be cheat will be exposed right away.

Finding unique values in your list is just as easy. Although you might not need to use the latter option as often, it might prove helpful in an unexpected scenario.

Both formatting options are straightforward to implement. Have a look at the video above for step-by-step instructions, and try it yourself by downloading the sample worksheet with the "download here" link above.