Google Sheets beginner unique sort data-cleaning

How to Get Unique Sorted Values in Google Sheets?

Unique Sorted Values is a Google Sheets function that returns a sorted list of unique values from a specified column.. Formula Genius generates and validates this formula automatically from a plain-English prompt.

Struggling with duplicates in your data? This formula will help you extract a clean, sorted list of unique values effortlessly.

The Formula

Prompt

"Get a sorted list of unique values from a column in Google Sheets without duplicates"

Google Sheets
=SORT(UNIQUE(A:A))

This formula returns a sorted list of unique values from a specified column.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

  1. UNIQUE(A:A) extracts all unique values from column A.
  2. SORT(...) sorts the unique values in ascending order.
  3. The formula can be applied to any column by changing A:A to the desired range.
  4. Ensure that the range contains no blank cells for accurate results.
  5. The result will automatically update as the data in the specified range changes.

Edge Cases & Warnings

  • The column contains only duplicate values, resulting in a single unique value.
  • The column is empty, leading to an empty output.
  • The column contains blank cells, which may affect the sorting order.
  • The column includes mixed data types (numbers and text), which can lead to unexpected sorting.
  • The formula is applied to a large dataset, which may slow down performance.

Examples

Prompt

"Column A: {1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5}"

Google Sheets
{1, 2, 3, 4, 5}
Prompt

"Column A: {'apple', 'banana', 'apple', 'orange'}"

Google Sheets
{'apple', 'banana', 'orange'}

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use this formula on multiple columns?

No, this formula only works on a single column at a time.

What if my data is in a different column?

Simply change the range in the formula from A:A to the desired column.

Will this formula update automatically?

Yes, the output will update automatically as you modify the data in the specified column.

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