AutoFilter in Excel
Excel contains a number of features for reducing data. Subtotals and
PivotTables, for example, will take a large dataset and create a smaller, more
manageable dataset. Each function uses a different method. Subtotals typically
take a large number of rows and present only a single sum. PivotTable sums
similar pieces of data and presents rows and columns of sums.
Another method of subsetting data is simply removing unwanted data from view!
This is the method used by AutoFilter.
Go to the Data menu in Excel and you’ll see AutoFilter. In this graphic,
you can see that AutoFilter presents a list of possible values to filter on.
Here we click on CA to indicate that we only want to see rows of data that
contain CA.
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Once we’ve clicked CA, a new window appears.
Note that only rows containing CA appear in this window. Also note that the
downward facing arrow in column D is now blue instead of black. This indicates
that the column is being used to filter data. As you may have guessed, you can
use more than one column to filter data. Just be careful—too much filtering
and you’ll have nothing left! Each time you filter, you hide more data.
The row numbers are also blue. The blue coloring indicates a filtered list.
Look at the row numbers themselves. The rows have not been renumbered. Row 4,
rows 6-10, 12-27, etc. are currently hidden but they’re still there.
To turn off AutoFilter, just go back to the Data menu and click AutoFilter
off. You’ll see that your spreadsheet is unchanged.
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