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How to find missing values between two lists in Excel and Google Sheets
Topic:Duplicates & uniquenessExcel & Google Sheets
=IF(COUNTIF($B$2:$B$6,A2)=0,"Missing from B","")✓
Verified example
Computed by a real spreadsheet engine on the sample data below.
| List A | List B | Missing? |
| Apple | Banana | |
| Banana | Cherry | |
| Cherry | Apple | |
| Date | Fig | |
| Elderberry | Banana |
=IF(COUNTIF($B$2:$B$6,A2)=0,"Missing from B","")→
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Step by step
- 1In a helper column beside List A, enter =IF(COUNTIF($B$2:$B$6,A2)=0,"Missing from B","") — a non-empty result flags items absent from List B.
- 2Copy down all rows to check every item.
- 3To also find what's in B but not in A, add another helper column beside List B: =IF(COUNTIF($A$2:$A$6,B2)=0,"Missing from A","").
Tips
- Use FILTER to extract missing values directly: =FILTER(A2:A6,COUNTIF(B2:B6,A2:A6)=0) — this returns a spilled list of every item in A not found in B (available in Sheets and Excel 365).
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Frequently asked
How do I count the total number of missing items?
Use SUMPRODUCT: =SUMPRODUCT((COUNTIF(B2:B6,A2:A6)=0)*1) — counts items in A with zero matches in B.
Does this work if the lists are on different sheets?
Yes — reference the other sheet in the COUNTIF range: =IF(COUNTIF(Sheet2!$A$2:$A$6,A2)=0,"Missing","").
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