Extract unique distinct list from two columns - excel

Question

So I am trying to create a combined list from two separate columns by omitting the duplicate items. I have searched and found a formula that combines the list this way by going through one column at a time.
But I want to combine the columns like this:
where it goes through each row first.
Is there a formula or VBA code that does that? Thank you.
EDIT: This is just a way to show my request. The color was added to show how the combined list is sorted, it is not part of the request. The actual lists are each about 500 rows long consisting of 9+ digit ID numbers.

Answer 1

This will put the unique words in the order you want.
Sub foo()
Dim rng As Range
Dim ws As Worksheet
Dim i&, j&, t&
Dim dict As Object
Dim iArr() As Variant
Dim oarr() As Variant
Dim itm As Variant
Set dict = CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")
Set ws = ActiveSheet
With ws
Set rng = .Range("A:B").Find("*", .Range("A1"), , , , xlPrevious)
If Not rng Is Nothing Then
iArr = .Range(.Cells(2, 1), .Cells(rng.Row, 2)).Value
For i = LBound(iArr, 1) To UBound(iArr, 1)
For j = LBound(iArr, 2) To UBound(iArr, 2)
If iArr(i, j) <> "" Then
On Error Resume Next
dict.Add iArr(i, j), iArr(i, j)
On Error GoTo 0
End If
Next j
Next i
End If
'If your dataset is not that large <30,000, then you can use it directly with transpose
.Range("C2").Resize(dict.Count) = Application.Transpose(dict.items)
'If your data is large then you will want to put it in a one dimensional array first
'just uncomment the below and comment the one line above
' ReDim oarr(1 To dict.Count, 1 To 1)
' t = 1
' For Each itm In dict.keys
' oarr(t, 1) = dict(itm)
' t = t + 1
' Next itm
' Range("C2").Resize(dict.Count) = oarr
End With
End Sub

Answer 2

UDF solution. Using your provided sample data, put this formula in cell I2 and copy down =UnqList(ROW(I1),$G$2:$H$6) or =UnqList(ROW(I1),$G$2:$G$6,$H$2:$H$6) (it can be either because the two or more lists might not be next to each other and the UDF accounts for that)
Public Function UnqList(ByVal lIndex As Long, ParamArray rLists() As Variant) As Variant
Dim i As Long, j As Long
Dim vList As Variant
Dim cUnq As Collection
Dim lMaxRow As Long, lMaxCol As Long
If lIndex <= 0 Then
UnqList = CVErr(xlErrRef)
Exit Function
End If
For Each vList In rLists
If TypeName(vList) <> "Range" Then
UnqList = CVErr(xlErrRef)
Exit Function
Else
If vList.Rows.Count > lMaxRow Then lMaxRow = vList.Rows.Count
If vList.Columns.Count > lMaxCol Then lMaxCol = vList.Columns.Count
End If
Next vList
Set cUnq = New Collection
For i = 1 To lMaxRow
For j = 1 To lMaxCol
For Each vList In rLists
If i <= vList.Rows.Count And j <= vList.Columns.Count Then
On Error Resume Next
cUnq.Add vList.Cells(i, j).Value, CStr(vList.Cells(i, j).Value)
On Error GoTo 0
If lIndex = cUnq.Count Then
UnqList = cUnq(cUnq.Count)
Set cUnq = Nothing
Exit Function
End If
End If
Next vList
Next j
Next i
UnqList = CVErr(xlErrRef)
Set cUnq = Nothing
End Function

Answer 3

You can use my Duplicate Master addin available via my profile.
Advantages are that the addin provides options to
ignore capitilisation
ignore whitespace
run RegExp replacements (advanced)
further options for deletinf, highlighting, selecting duplicates etc