Stop Clicking "Remove Duplicates"! Automate Excel Lists with =UNIQUE()
The "Remove Duplicates" button is a relic of the past. It destroys data and requires manual updates. It's time to upgrade to Dynamic Arrays.
We have all been there. You export a sales report from your CRM. It has 10,000 rows. You need a simple list of the unique products sold so you can build a summary table. So, what do you do?
You copy the column, paste it somewhere else, go to the Data tab, click "Remove Duplicates," and click OK. It works... for exactly 5 minutes.
The problem arises when your boss sends you an updated file with 50 new rows. Now your "Clean List" is outdated. You have to delete it and repeat the entire manual process again. This is not efficient. This is "Static Data," and Static Data sucks.
In 2020, Microsoft introduced the biggest change to Excel in 20 years: Dynamic Arrays. These are formulas that don't just return one result; they "spill" results into neighboring cells automatically.
The Function: =UNIQUE()
The =UNIQUE() function effectively retires the "Remove Duplicates" button. It looks at a range of data and extracts the unique values instantly.
When you type this into a single cell and hit Enter, Excel will automatically fill the cells below it with the unique list. You don't need to drag the formula down. This behavior is called Spilling.
#SPILL! error. This is Excel protecting the dynamic range.
Level Up: Nesting with =SORT()
A unique list is great, but an alphabetical unique list is better. In the old days, you would have to sort your data manually using the filter arrows. With Dynamic Arrays, we just wrap our function.
Now, if you add a new entry to your source data—say, "Zebra"—at the bottom of your raw list, your clean list will automatically update and place "Zebra" at the very bottom. If you add "Apple," it jumps to the top. Zero manual clicks required.
The Top 5 Dynamic Array Functions You Must Know
While UNIQUE is the star of the show, there are other dynamic functions that transform how you build dashboards. Here is the essential toolkit:
1. =UNIQUE()
Use case: Extracting distinct lists from a database.
Example: Getting a list of all salespeople who made a sale today.
2. =SORT() & =SORTBY()
Use case: Ordering data automatically without touching the "Sort & Filter" buttons.
Example: Sorting your top 10 products by revenue, highest to lowest.
3. =FILTER()
Use case: The most powerful function of them all. It replaces VLOOKUP for extracting multiple rows based on criteria.
Example: =FILTER(A:C, B:B="Completed") will return all rows where the status is "Completed".
4. =SEQUENCE()
Use case: Generates a list of sequential numbers. Great for creating ID columns or date ranges.
Example: =SEQUENCE(10) creates a list from 1 to 10.
5. =TRANSPOSE()
Use case: Flipping vertical data to horizontal (or vice versa) dynamically.
Example: Turning a row of monthly headers into a column for a summary table.
Why This Matters for Automation
The goal of modern Excel is to build "Set and Forget" models. By using Dynamic Arrays, you build a system where data flows like water. Raw data goes in one sheet, and your calculations update instantly on the other.
Stop doing the robot's job. Let the formulas do the heavy lifting.
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