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View Full Version : Dropdown List from Table w/o Duplicates (NON VBA)



IRish3538
01-04-2013, 12:16 PM
Hey guys... I'm trying to figure something out for a co-worker and need a non-vba solution (if you can imagine that). It needs to be something others can manipulate/understand so I can't use my normal bag of tricks.

I'm trying to populate a data validation list from a name range but the list-to-be is inside a mock database so each item in the list is shown multiple times. I'm using Excel post-2003 so I'm able to use a table to create my dynamic list, but I can't figure out how to get rid of the duplicates (without hitting Alt+F11).

I've created the list in data validation using a named table, Table1. The column I want to derive a list from is titled "Examiners".

The source formula (that returns duplicates) is:
=INDIRECT("Table1[Examiners]")

I know I'm looking for a non-vba solution in a VBA forum, but I've scoured the ends of the internet to no avail, so I'm coming here out of desperation. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Kenneth Hobs
01-04-2013, 12:24 PM
http://www.contextures.com/xlDataVal07.html

IRish3538
01-04-2013, 01:54 PM
Thanks Kenneth, but I don't think that helps me.. I'm trying to use data validation to create a dropdown list from a table of records that will exclude the duplicate values. Elsewhere in the workbook there will be a data validation drop down that is populated with only the unique values from a specific column from that table of records.

Kenneth Hobs
01-04-2013, 08:16 PM
Post a sample workbook for us to try.

I can sort of do it with two helper columns using a dynamic named range for a normal range but it has blank rows at the end.