How to find duplicate or unique values in two columns of two sheets?

Maybe compare two ranges in the same worksheet and find out the duplicate or unique values is easy for most of you, but if the two ranges are in the two different worksheets, how can you quickly find out the duplicate and unique values in these two ranges? This tutorial will introduce some quick cuts for you.

Compare two same header columns in two spread sheets with formula in Excel

Compare two ranges in two spread sheets with VBA

Compare two ranges in two spread sheets with Kutools for Excel

Compare two same header columns in two spread sheets with formula in Excel

With the formula in Excel, you can compare two same header columns as shown as below on different sheets and find the duplicate and unique values:

1. Typing this formula =COUNTIF(Sheet1!$A:$A, A1) in a blank cell which is adjacent to the range in Sheet 3. See screenshot:

2. Press Enter button on the keyboard, and then drag the fill handle to fill the range you want to compare with the range in Sheet 1. (Number Zero means duplicate values in two ranges, and Number 1 means unique values in Sheet3, but not in Sheet1)

Tips:

1.This formula only can compare two columns with the same header in two spreadsheets.

2. If you want to find the unique values in Sheet1, but not in Sheet3, you need to enter the above formula =COUNTIF(Sheet3!$A:$A, A1) into Sheet1.

Compare two ranges in two spread sheets with VBA

1. Hold ALT button and press F11 on the keyboard to open a Microsoft Visual Basic for Application window.

2. Click Insert > Module, and copy the VBA into the module.

VBA: Compare two ranges in two spreadsheets

Sub CompareRanges()
'Update 20130815
Dim WorkRng1 As Range, WorkRng2 As Range, Rng1 As Range, Rng2 As Range
xTitleId = "KutoolsforExcel"
Set WorkRng1 = Application.InputBox("Range A:", xTitleId, "", Type:=8)
Set WorkRng2 = Application.InputBox("Range B:", xTitleId, Type:=8)
For Each Rng1 In WorkRng1
    rng1Value = Rng1.Value
    For Each Rng2 In WorkRng2
        If rng1Value = Rng2.Value Then
            Rng1.Interior.Color = VBA.RGB(255, 0, 0)
            Exit For
        End If
    Next
Next
End Sub

3. Click Run button or press F5 to run the VBA.

4. There is a dialog displayed on the screen, and you should select one range you want to compare with. See screenshot:

5. Click Ok and another dialog is displayed for you to select the second range. See screenshot:

6. Click Ok, and the duplicate values both in Range A and in Range B are highlighted with the red background in Range A. See screenshot:

Tips: With this VBA, you can compare two ranges both in the same and different worksheets.

Compare two ranges in two spread sheets with Kutools for Excel

If formula is not convenient for you, and VBA is difficult for you, you can have a try on Kutools for Excel's Compare Ranges function.

Kutools for Excel includes more than 300 handy Excel tools. Free to try with no limitation in 30 days. Get it Now

Please apply Compare Ranges function by clicking Kutools > Compare Ranges. See screenshot:

Compare with two columns in different sheets:

1. Click Kutools > Compare Ranges, a dialog is displayed in the screen. See screenshot:

2. Specify the ranges and rules, do as follows:

Leave Compare in same range uncheck, and select two ranges by clicking Range A and Range B, see screenshot:

Specify the same values or different values you want to find in the drop-down box under Rules;

3. Click Ok. A pop-up dialog tells you the same values are selected.

4. Click Ok button in the pop-up dialog. The same values between two ranges are selected in Range A.

Compare two ranges in spread worksheets

If you have two ranges in two spreadsheets as shown as below, and you want to compare them and find out the different values, you can do as follows:

1. Click Kutools > Compare Ranges, a dialog is displayed in the screen.

2. Specify the ranges and rules, do as follows:

Leave Compare in same range uncheck, and select two ranges by clicking Range A and Range B;

Specify the different values you want to find in the drop-down box under Rules;

Check My data has headers in Options section;

3. Click Ok. A pop-up dialog tells you the same values are selected.

4. Click Ok button in the pop-up dialog. The different values in Range A are selected. See screenshot:

If you want to find out the different values in Range B of Sheet2, you need to swap the two ranges.

Compare Ranges function also can compare ranges in the same sheet. Click here to know more about Compare Ranges.

Relative articles:

• Find unique values between two columns
• Find duplicate values in two columns
• Remove duplicates and replace with blank cells
• Filter unique records from selected column