What you will build

List unique regions to drive a summary dropdown. This lesson uses fictional sample data so you can reproduce each action.

Learning objective

Complete the steps using the dataset below, explain why the feature or formula is used, and recognize issues when inputs change.

Prepare the sample data

Paste this example as tab-separated values beginning at A1 on a new worksheet:

HANDS-ON PRACTICE

Practice in your own copy

Make your own Google Sheets copy with the same data, formulas, formatting, filter and frozen header. The original remains unchanged.

Make a Google Sheets copy (access required) ↗View original

Sign in to Google. If the original is not publicly shared, download the full workbook and import it into Google Sheets, or paste the example data into your own sheet.

Complete Google Sheets source table before formula verification.

Open the sample workbook in Google Drive (access required) ↗

Work through the example

Step 1: Select H2, leaving enough vertical space for the result.

Step 2: Use UNIQUE on Region B2:B6; compare unique values with the repeated source entries.

Formula to try

In the verified practice workbook, use H2 in the Formula result area for the formula below. Keep the source table unchanged and compare the displayed result with the checkpoint.

=UNIQUE(B2:B6)
The result cell is selected with the formula visible in the formula bar and the complete source table available for comparison.

Checkpoint

Unique Region
North
South

With =UNIQUE(B2:B6) entered in H2, the result spills into H2:H3 in first-seen source order.

Common mistake and correction

If the result is unexpected, inspect the source cells, destination and referenced range in the formula. UNIQUE preserves first-seen ordering and does not itself sort or clean inconsistent whitespace.

Independent practice

After following the example, complete this variation without editing the source data: Combine SORT and UNIQUE to make the region list alphabetic.

Key takeaways

  • ✓List unique regions to drive a summary dropdown.
  • ✓Select H2, leaving enough vertical space for the result.
  • ✓UNIQUE preserves first-seen ordering and does not itself sort or clean inconsistent whitespace.
  • ✓Combine SORT and UNIQUE to make the region list alphabetic.
QUICK CHECK

Check your understanding

Answer four questions about the practice sheet.

1. Which first action belongs to this lesson?
2. Which formula is used in the example?
3. Which precaution matters for this lesson?
4. What is the independent practice task?

Continue learning

Previous lesson: SORT function; Next lesson: QUERY function.