you could try conditional formatting with a three conditions and three
formulae,

=COUNTIF($A$1:$A1,$A1)=2

=COUNTIF($A$1:$A1,$A1)=3

=COUNTIF($A$1:$A1,$A1)3

and separate pattern colours for each. The first instance wouldn't be
highlighted, the second, third and any more would.

--
HTH

Bob Phillips

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi, can anyone help with the following problem. I'm trying to find out
the position of the contents of a cell within a column. I know that the
value in cell B103 appears 4 times in column B from a COUNTIF function;
however, I need to know if the value in B103 is the first, second,
third or fourth time this value has appeared. Is there an easy way to
do this using formula? I need to set a calculation and the number of
OFFSETs required will depend on whther the value in B103 is the 1st,
2nd etc. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. Alasdair.