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This article describes the RPA Excel functionality to get unique values from a column.
For a full list of available functions, please read EXCEL functions.
Description
The Column unique values function reads all values from a specified column and returns the unique (distinct) values as a comma-separated list. This is useful for building dropdown options, summarising categories, or checking which distinct values exist in a dataset.
Setting it up
To use the Column unique values function, follow these instructions:
{{popups:rpas/add:action=excel-column-unique}}
Once on a process map:
- Navigate to the process where you would like to add the function
- Click on the green button's drop-down
- Click on "+ Activity"
- Select the EXCEL Column unique values option
- Click "Add" once you are done
Input parameters
| Parameter | Required | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheet | Yes | Text | - | The name of the sheet |
| Column | Yes | Text | - | The column letter or name to get unique values from |
| Variable | No | Text | result | Name of the variable to store the comma-separated unique values in |
Output variables
| Variable | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Variable | String | Comma-separated list of unique values from the column |
Errors
| Error | Description |
|---|---|
| File not open | The Excel file must be open |
| Sheet not found | The specified sheet does not exist |
| Column not found | The specified column does not exist |
Tips
- Empty cells are excluded from the result
- The order of values follows their first appearance in the column
- Use this with a loop to iterate over each unique value for grouped processing