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Excel: Test for duplicates in eight columns, combined (and clear the values in the 8 columns when a duplicate is found) in Excel 2003/XP/2000/97

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Question:  In Excel 2003/XP/2000/97, is it possible to write a macro to check 8 columns over 2000 rows and clear the values in the 8 columns when a duplicate is found?

Answer:  Let's take a look at an example.

Download Excel spreadsheet (as demonstrated below)

In our spreadsheet, we've set up values in columns A through I. On Sheet1, we've created a button that when clicked will launch a macro. This macro will clear the values in columns A through H when a duplicate is found (based on the values in columns A through H). It does not clear the value in column I when a duplicate is found.

When the macro has completed, a message box will appear that indicates how many duplicates were cleared..

After the macro has run, you can see that cells A through H of the duplicate have been cleared, as seen below in rows 9 and 16.

You can press Alt-F11 to view the VBA code.

Please note that the LRows variable in this macro is set to 2000 indicating that the macro will test the first 2000 rows in for duplicates. You may need to change this value to accommodate your volume of data.

Macro Code:

The macro code looks like this:

Sub TestForDups()

    Dim LLoop As Integer
    Dim LTestLoop As Integer

    Dim Lrows As Integer
    Dim LRange As String

    Dim LCnt As Integer

    'Column values
    Dim LColA_1, LColB_1, LColC_1, LColD_1, LColE_1, LColF_1, LColG_1, LColH_1 As String
    Dim LColA_2, LColB_2, LColC_2, LColD_2, LColE_2, LColF_2, LColG_2, LColH_2 As String

    'Test first 2000 rows in spreadsheet for duplicates (clear any duplicates found)
    Lrows = 2000
    LLoop = 2
    LCnt = 0

    'Check first 2000 rows in spreadsheet
    While LLoop <= Lrows
        LColA_1 = "A" & CStr(LLoop)
        LColB_1 = "B" & CStr(LLoop)
        LColC_1 = "C" & CStr(LLoop)
        LColD_1 = "D" & CStr(LLoop)
        LColE_1 = "E" & CStr(LLoop)
        LColF_1 = "F" & CStr(LLoop)
        LColG_1 = "G" & CStr(LLoop)
        LColH_1 = "H" & CStr(LLoop)

        If Len(Range(LColA_1).Value) > 0 Then

            'Test each value for uniqueness
            LTestLoop = LLoop + 1
            While LTestLoop <= Lrows
                If LLoop <> LTestLoop Then
                    LColA_2 = "A" & CStr(LTestLoop)
                    LColB_2 = "B" & CStr(LTestLoop)
                    LColC_2 = "C" & CStr(LTestLoop)
                    LColD_2 = "D" & CStr(LTestLoop)
                    LColE_2 = "E" & CStr(LTestLoop)
                    LColF_2 = "F" & CStr(LTestLoop)
                    LColG_2 = "G" & CStr(LTestLoop)
                    LColH_2 = "H" & CStr(LTestLoop)

                    'Value has been duplicated in another cell (based on values in columns A to H)
                    If (Range(LColA_1).Value = Range(LColA_2).Value) _
                     And (Range(LColB_1).Value = Range(LColB_2).Value) _
                     And (Range(LColC_1).Value = Range(LColC_2).Value) _
                     And (Range(LColD_1).Value = Range(LColD_2).Value) _
                     And (Range(LColE_1).Value = Range(LColE_2).Value) _
                     And (Range(LColF_1).Value = Range(LColF_2).Value) _
                     And (Range(LColG_1).Value = Range(LColG_2).Value) _
                     And (Range(LColH_1).Value = Range(LColH_2).Value) Then

                        'Clear the duplicate
                        Range("A" & CStr(LTestLoop) & ":H" & CStr(LTestLoop)).Select
                        Selection.ClearContents

                        LCnt = LCnt + 1

                    End If

                End If

                LTestLoop = LTestLoop + 1
            Wend

        End If

        LLoop = LLoop + 1
    Wend

    'Reposition back on cell A1
    Range("A1").Select
    MsgBox CStr(LCnt) & " rows have been cleared."

End Sub