How to Delete Rows if a Column Contains Values from the To Remove List in Excel

Excel is a strong data analysis and management programme that allows users to efficiently handle enormous datasets. Frequently, you may need to clean up your data by deleting rows based on specified criteria. When you have a list of variables that you wish to exclude from your dataset, this is a common case. In this lesson, we'll look at deleting rows in Excel if a specific column includes any values from a specified "To Remove" list. You will be able to swiftly and easily remove unneeded rows from your spreadsheet by following these step-by-step instructions, saving you time and effort.

Delete Rows if Column Contains Values from the To Remove List

Here we will first use the Vlookup formula to know what rows to delete, then use a filter, and finally delete the cells to complete the task. So let us see a simple process to know how you can delete rows if a column contains values from the to-remove list in Excel.

Step 1

Consider an Excel sheet where you have a list of items along with a list to delete.

First, click on an empty cell and enter the formula as

=IF(ISERROR(VLOOKUP(A2,Sheet2!A:A,1,FALSE)),"Keep","Delete") and click enter to get the first value. Then drag down using the autofill handle.

Empty cell > Formula > Enter > Drag.

Step 2

Then click on the first cell of the new column, click on data, and click on filter.

First cell > Data >Filter.

Step 3

Now click on the arrow and only check the box named Delete and click OK. Then you can see that only the cells you need to delete will be filtered out.

Arrow> Delete > Ok.

Step 4

Finally, select the cells, right-click and select delete Row, then click on the entire row in the pop-up and click OK. And finally remove the filter.

Select cells> Right click > Delete > Entire Row > Ok.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we have used a simple example to demonstrate how you can delete rows if a column contains values from the to-remove list in Excel to highlight a particular set of data.

Pradeep Kumar

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Updated on: 12-Jul-2023

2K+ Views

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