Combining multiple cells with text

[dforte]

Column A are various names of which many are duplicated.
Column B are various text phrases associated with the names in column A.

I would like to make a function in column C that will combine the text in column B into the the corresponding cell in column C that represents the first instance of a name in column A.

So here is an example of what I would like to do:

Column A
Name A
Name A
Name B
Name C

Column B
Yellow
Purple
Red
Blue

Column C
Yellow, Purple
(Blank)
Red
Blue

Any suggestions?

[NBVC]

You can use a free addin function from here: http://download.cnet.com/Morefunc/30...-10423159.html

and then assuming your are in row 2 to start, apply formula in C2

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and adjust ranges to suit, then confirm with CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER not just ENTER and copy down.

If you don't want to use the addin, then apply this UDF to your VB Editor (ALT+F11, then INSERT|MODULE and paste this code:

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and apply formula as above in C2:

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adjust ranges and confirm with CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER and copy down.

[dforte]

This is awesome and almost exactly what I need. I decided to go with the VB Editor option. There's just two problems:

1. My column B as explained above is not always one word, so right now each word is separated by a comma. It would be great if I could separate the entire contents of each cell that is combined with a comma rather than each word from each cell.

2. Some phrases in column B are duplicated as well, and it would be great if they could only appear once in the output column C cell.

Thanks again.

[NBVC]

Assuming you can sort your data by column A first, then by column B (which would be easiest way to solve), in C2 add formula:

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copied down

Then in D2 use formula:

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adjust ranges and confirm with CSE key combo.

[dforte]

Makes sense! Thank you!