List Monthly Expense Categories
I want to combine all the unique expense categories I spent money on this month into a single summary cell.
=TEXTJOIN(", ", TRUE, UNIQUE(B2:B7)) How it works: The `UNIQUE` function first extracts all distinct expense categories from your specified range (e.g., B2:B7), effectively removing any duplicates. The `TEXTJOIN` function then takes this list of unique categories, joins them together using a comma and a space (`, `) as the delimiter, and the `TRUE` argument ensures that any empty cells (if present in the unique list, though unlikely here) are ignored. This provides a clean, concise summary of all your spending categories for the month.
Data Setup
| Date | Category | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-10-01 | Groceries | 150.00 |
| 2023-10-03 | Utilities | 75.00 |
| 2023-10-05 | Transportation | 30.00 |
| 2023-10-08 | Groceries | 80.00 |
| 2023-10-10 | Dining Out | 50.00 |
| 2023-10-12 | Utilities | 60.00 |
Step-by-Step Guide
Ensure your expense data is organized with a column for 'Category' (e.g., Column B).
In an empty cell where you want the summary, enter the formula: `=TEXTJOIN(", ", TRUE, UNIQUE(B2:B7))`.
Adjust the range `B2:B7` to encompass all your expense categories for the month.
Press Enter to display a comma-separated list of all unique expense categories you've recorded.
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