[dhuneycu]

I am working with a very large spreadsheet. I need to sort it by one column to find items that have the same number assigned to them. Is there a way to do this where those matches are highlighted so that they stand out? I have sorted by this column, but it will take me days to scroll through it looking for matches. Thanks!

[jakester]

dhuneycu - I'd need a little more information to be more precise but it sounds like you should try using the Conditional Format for the matches. For instance, if you want to highlight a match in Column A and Column B, Conditional Format will allow you to set a condition that will highlight that match. The thing is that you can only do up to 3 conditions so if you are working with a lot of different data that you want to match with, you'll be stuck.

If you can provide more detail and examples of what you are doing, maybe I could help you further.

[colbtech]

From the menu, Format, Conditional Formatting?

Alternatively in another column...

you could enter a formula that gives a value based what is in that row.

e.g. Cell A1 contains a value and you want to check if this value is present elsewhere in the column, so a formula =countif(A1:A3000,A1) will count all occurrences of the value in cell A1 within the range A1 to A3000. If this value is unique then the value should be 1. If not then the value will indicate n-1 occurrences. You can then sort this new column by value descending, which will show all duplicates, triplicates, etc

[JBeaucaire]

First off, you said you sorted the spreadsheet by that column? That should result in all matching numbers sorting themselves together, so you don't have to scroll through to find matching numbers, they are already together. That's what sorting does. Did you NOT do this? Is there some reason after sorting your matching numbers aren't together?
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Are you actually needing to SEE the matches individually, or are you trying to simply get an idea of how many times each value appears in the whole spreadsheet?
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If the sheet still has numbers spread all over and for some reason sorting can't organize them together, and you want to check one specific value at a time and have them all stand out so you can quick scan, ColbTech has the right approach.

Here's a step-by-step:

1. Highlight the column that has all of the numbers you are checking
2. Select FORMAT > CONDITIONAL FORMATTING
3. Cell Value - Equal to - (reference cell)
4. Click on FORMAT
5. Click on PATTERNS > COLOR - YELLOW
6. Click OK
7. Click OK again

Now, whatever (reference cell) you chose, let's say it was A1, enter a value in A1 you want to check for. Now you can scroll through and all the entries matching that value will have a bright Yellow background. Change the value in the (reference cell) and different cells will light up.

Hope this is what you had in mind.

[nikeshtnt]

I think the best solution for this would be using foumula in conditional formating. This would highlight all the values in a column appering more than once or as specified number in the formula.

Steps to follow are as follow:

Put the crusor on the first cell of the column from where the data is starting.

Format>Conditional Formating

Select Formula is in the condition box and enter the formula in the next box

=COUNTIF($B$6:$B$2299,B6)>1
Click on Format in the conditional formating box then select Pattern>Colors> Yellow

1. This formula contains range where data has to be checked for duplicacy or repetes.

2. First Cell reference from where the data starts.

Now copy the first cell (here B6) where you have entered the coditional formating formula and select till the row number you have given in the formula (here B2299) and PASTE it by presing Alt+S+T i.e. Format

Now all the cells having same data more than one time should be highlighted in YELLOW

Now you scroll and see where data is coming more than one time.