Google spreadsheet cartoon illustrations spreadsheets

How to Add Duplicates in Google Sheets? Easily Remove Them

by

Adding duplicates in Google Sheets can be a crucial task, especially when you need to create multiple copies of a dataset for various purposes such as data analysis, reporting, or even data visualization. Google Sheets, being a powerful spreadsheet tool, offers several ways to add duplicates to a dataset. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the various methods to add duplicates in Google Sheets, along with their step-by-step instructions and examples. We will also cover some advanced techniques and tips to help you master the art of adding duplicates in Google Sheets.

Method 1: Using the ‘Ctrl + D’ Shortcut

The most straightforward way to add duplicates in Google Sheets is by using the ‘Ctrl + D’ shortcut. This method is quick and easy, and it works for both Windows and Mac users.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Select the cell range that you want to duplicate.
  2. Press the ‘Ctrl + D’ keys on your keyboard.
  3. The selected range will be duplicated below the original range.

For example, let’s say you have a dataset in cells A1:A10, and you want to add duplicates to cells A11:A20. Simply select cells A1:A10, press ‘Ctrl + D’, and the duplicated range will be created in cells A11:A20.

Example Use Case:

Suppose you have a list of employee names in cells A1:A10, and you want to create multiple copies of this list for different departments. You can use the ‘Ctrl + D’ shortcut to quickly add duplicates to the list, and then use the ‘Copy’ and ‘Paste’ functions to create separate lists for each department.

Method 2: Using the ‘Duplicate’ Button

Another way to add duplicates in Google Sheets is by using the ‘Duplicate’ button in the ‘Home’ tab of the Google Sheets toolbar.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Select the cell range that you want to duplicate.
  2. Go to the ‘Home’ tab in the Google Sheets toolbar.
  3. Click on the ‘Duplicate’ button.
  4. The selected range will be duplicated below the original range.

For example, let’s say you have a dataset in cells A1:A10, and you want to add duplicates to cells A11:A20. Simply select cells A1:A10, go to the ‘Home’ tab, click on the ‘Duplicate’ button, and the duplicated range will be created in cells A11:A20.

Example Use Case:

Suppose you have a list of product names in cells A1:A10, and you want to create multiple copies of this list for different categories. You can use the ‘Duplicate’ button to quickly add duplicates to the list, and then use the ‘Copy’ and ‘Paste’ functions to create separate lists for each category.

Method 3: Using the ‘Fill Down’ Function

The ‘Fill Down’ function in Google Sheets can also be used to add duplicates to a dataset. This method is useful when you want to duplicate a range of cells down to a specific number of rows.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Select the cell range that you want to duplicate.
  2. Go to the ‘Home’ tab in the Google Sheets toolbar.
  3. Click on the ‘Fill Down’ button.
  4. Enter the number of rows you want to duplicate the range down to.

For example, let’s say you have a dataset in cells A1:A10, and you want to add duplicates to cells A11:A20. Simply select cells A1:A10, go to the ‘Home’ tab, click on the ‘Fill Down’ button, and enter ’10’ in the dialog box. The duplicated range will be created in cells A11:A20. (See Also: How to Lock a Number in Google Sheets? Keep It Fixed)

Example Use Case:

Suppose you have a list of customer names in cells A1:A10, and you want to create multiple copies of this list for different regions. You can use the ‘Fill Down’ function to quickly add duplicates to the list, and then use the ‘Copy’ and ‘Paste’ functions to create separate lists for each region.

Method 4: Using the ‘Paste Special’ Function

The ‘Paste Special’ function in Google Sheets can also be used to add duplicates to a dataset. This method is useful when you want to duplicate a range of cells and also perform other operations such as formatting or calculations.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Select the cell range that you want to duplicate.
  2. Copy the selected range.
  3. Go to the ‘Home’ tab in the Google Sheets toolbar.
  4. Click on the ‘Paste Special’ button.
  5. Select the ‘Values’ option from the drop-down menu.
  6. Click on the ‘OK’ button.

For example, let’s say you have a dataset in cells A1:A10, and you want to add duplicates to cells A11:A20. Simply select cells A1:A10, copy the range, go to the ‘Home’ tab, click on the ‘Paste Special’ button, select the ‘Values’ option, and click on the ‘OK’ button. The duplicated range will be created in cells A11:A20.

Example Use Case:

Suppose you have a list of product prices in cells A1:A10, and you want to create multiple copies of this list for different categories. You can use the ‘Paste Special’ function to quickly add duplicates to the list, and then use the ‘Copy’ and ‘Paste’ functions to create separate lists for each category.

Method 5: Using the ‘Array Formula’ Function

The ‘Array Formula’ function in Google Sheets can also be used to add duplicates to a dataset. This method is useful when you want to duplicate a range of cells based on a specific condition or criteria.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Select the cell range that you want to duplicate.
  2. Go to the ‘Formulas’ tab in the Google Sheets toolbar.
  3. Click on the ‘Array Formula’ button.
  4. Enter the array formula using the ‘IF’ function.
  5. Press the ‘Enter’ key.

For example, let’s say you have a dataset in cells A1:A10, and you want to add duplicates to cells A11:A20 based on the condition that the value in cell A1 is greater than 10. Simply select cells A1:A10, go to the ‘Formulas’ tab, click on the ‘Array Formula’ button, enter the array formula using the ‘IF’ function, and press the ‘Enter’ key. The duplicated range will be created in cells A11:A20.

Example Use Case:

Suppose you have a list of customer names in cells A1:A10, and you want to create multiple copies of this list for different regions based on the condition that the customer is located in a specific region. You can use the ‘Array Formula’ function to quickly add duplicates to the list, and then use the ‘Copy’ and ‘Paste’ functions to create separate lists for each region.

Method 6: Using the ‘VLOOKUP’ Function

The ‘VLOOKUP’ function in Google Sheets can also be used to add duplicates to a dataset. This method is useful when you want to duplicate a range of cells based on a specific value or criteria.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Select the cell range that you want to duplicate.
  2. Go to the ‘Formulas’ tab in the Google Sheets toolbar.
  3. Click on the ‘VLOOKUP’ button.
  4. Enter the value or criteria you want to use to duplicate the range.
  5. Press the ‘Enter’ key.

For example, let’s say you have a dataset in cells A1:A10, and you want to add duplicates to cells A11:A20 based on the value in cell A1. Simply select cells A1:A10, go to the ‘Formulas’ tab, click on the ‘VLOOKUP’ button, enter the value in cell A1, and press the ‘Enter’ key. The duplicated range will be created in cells A11:A20. (See Also: How to Link a Cell in Google Sheets? Master Formulas)

Example Use Case:

Suppose you have a list of product names in cells A1:A10, and you want to create multiple copies of this list for different categories based on the product name. You can use the ‘VLOOKUP’ function to quickly add duplicates to the list, and then use the ‘Copy’ and ‘Paste’ functions to create separate lists for each category.

Method 7: Using the ‘INDEX/MATCH’ Function

The ‘INDEX/MATCH’ function in Google Sheets can also be used to add duplicates to a dataset. This method is useful when you want to duplicate a range of cells based on a specific value or criteria.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Select the cell range that you want to duplicate.
  2. Go to the ‘Formulas’ tab in the Google Sheets toolbar.
  3. Click on the ‘INDEX/MATCH’ button.
  4. Enter the value or criteria you want to use to duplicate the range.
  5. Press the ‘Enter’ key.

For example, let’s say you have a dataset in cells A1:A10, and you want to add duplicates to cells A11:A20 based on the value in cell A1. Simply select cells A1:A10, go to the ‘Formulas’ tab, click on the ‘INDEX/MATCH’ button, enter the value in cell A1, and press the ‘Enter’ key. The duplicated range will be created in cells A11:A20.

Example Use Case:

Suppose you have a list of customer names in cells A1:A10, and you want to create multiple copies of this list for different regions based on the customer name. You can use the ‘INDEX/MATCH’ function to quickly add duplicates to the list, and then use the ‘Copy’ and ‘Paste’ functions to create separate lists for each region.

Conclusion:

In this comprehensive guide, we have explored the various methods to add duplicates in Google Sheets, including the ‘Ctrl + D’ shortcut, the ‘Duplicate’ button, the ‘Fill Down’ function, the ‘Paste Special’ function, the ‘Array Formula’ function, the ‘VLOOKUP’ function, and the ‘INDEX/MATCH’ function. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of method depends on the specific requirements of the task.

Recap:

Here is a summary of the key points discussed in this guide:

  • The ‘Ctrl + D’ shortcut is the quickest way to add duplicates in Google Sheets.
  • The ‘Duplicate’ button is another easy way to add duplicates in Google Sheets.
  • The ‘Fill Down’ function can be used to duplicate a range of cells down to a specific number of rows.
  • The ‘Paste Special’ function can be used to duplicate a range of cells and also perform other operations such as formatting or calculations.
  • The ‘Array Formula’ function can be used to duplicate a range of cells based on a specific condition or criteria.
  • The ‘VLOOKUP’ function can be used to duplicate a range of cells based on a specific value or criteria.
  • The ‘INDEX/MATCH’ function can be used to duplicate a range of cells based on a specific value or criteria.

FAQs:

How to Add Duplicates in Google Sheets?

Q: What is the quickest way to add duplicates in Google Sheets?

A: The quickest way to add duplicates in Google Sheets is by using the ‘Ctrl + D’ shortcut.

Q: How to use the ‘Duplicate’ button to add duplicates in Google Sheets?

A: To use the ‘Duplicate’ button to add duplicates in Google Sheets, select the cell range you want to duplicate, go to the ‘Home’ tab, click on the ‘Duplicate’ button, and the duplicated range will be created below the original range.

Q: How to use the ‘Fill Down’ function to add duplicates in Google Sheets?

A: To use the ‘Fill Down’ function to add duplicates in Google Sheets, select the cell range you want to duplicate, go to the ‘Home’ tab, click on the ‘Fill Down’ button, and enter the number of rows you want to duplicate the range down to.

Q: How to use the ‘Paste Special’ function to add duplicates in Google Sheets?

A: To use the ‘Paste Special’ function to add duplicates in Google Sheets, select the cell range you want to duplicate, copy the range, go to the ‘Home’ tab, click on the ‘Paste Special’ button, select the ‘Values’ option, and click on the ‘OK’ button.

Q: How to use the ‘Array Formula’ function to add duplicates in Google Sheets?

A: To use the ‘Array Formula’ function to add duplicates in Google Sheets, select the cell range you want to duplicate, go to the ‘Formulas’ tab, click on the ‘Array Formula’ button, enter the array formula using the ‘IF’ function, and press the ‘Enter’ key.

Q: How to use the ‘VLOOKUP’ function to add duplicates in Google Sheets?

A: To use the ‘VLOOKUP’ function to add duplicates in Google Sheets, select the cell range you want to duplicate, go to the ‘Formulas’ tab, click on the ‘VLOOKUP’ button, enter the value or criteria you want to use to duplicate the range, and press the ‘Enter’ key.

See Also:

Q: How to use the ‘INDEX/MATCH’ function to add duplicates in Google Sheets?

A: To use the ‘INDEX/MATCH’ function to add duplicates in Google Sheets, select the cell range you want to duplicate, go to the ‘Formulas’ tab, click on the ‘INDEX/MATCH’ button, enter the value or criteria you want to use to duplicate the range, and press the ‘Enter’ key.

Leave a Comment