Grouping like values with conditional formatting

Is there an easy way to group duplicate values using conditional formatting.

I want to apply conditional formatting to column A so that grouped values are highlighted resulting in what is shown in column B.

Screenshot 2023-01-22 215055.png

I know that I can use conditional formatting to say colour cells which contain 'A' and cells which contain 'B' etc but this relies on having to manually go in and set up the conditional formatting for each value. What I'm looking for is a way to automatically apply this formatting to colour all unique values.

Not sure this will be possible, but worth an ask

Thanks

You could derive a list of unique values using a formula (which uses INDEX/MATCH/COUNTIF) in some other column, say column E, and then set up some CF conditions so that if cells in column B =E$2 then yellow, if = E$3 then orange, if = E$4 then green, and so on, and this would work even in XL2003, which your profile states that you are using. With later versions there could be other ways.

Hope this helps.

Pete