How to Create Filter in Excel

If you work with large amounts of data in Microsoft Excel, filtering is an essential tool to help you quickly analyze and understand your information. Filters allow you to narrow down your data by selecting specific criteria such as dates, values or text, so you can identify trends and patterns that may not be immediately visible. In this blog post, we will show you how to create filters in Excel, so you can efficiently sort and manipulate your data to retrieve the information you need quickly.

Step 1: Select Your Data

The first step in creating a filter in Excel is to select the data you want to filter. This data can be in any form, like a table or a list. Once you’ve selected your data, go to the “Data” tab in the ribbon.

Step 2: Apply the Filter

Next, select the “Filter” option in the “Sort & Filter” group, then select “Filter” from the dropdown. You will see small filter icons appear in the headers of your data, indicating that filters have been applied.

Step 3: Filter by Value

Option 1: Filter by specific value

To filter your data by a specific value, click the filter icon in the relevant column and select the value you want to filter by.

Option 2: Filter by multiple values

You can also filter your data by multiple values in the same column. To do this, click the filter icon in the relevant column and select “Filter by Color” and then “Filter by Selected Cell’s Color”. Click “OK” and your filter will be applied.

Step 4: Filter by Date

If your data includes dates that you want to filter by, click the filter icon in the relevant column and select “Date Filters”. Here you will have many options like filtering by specific dates, date ranges, or periods like “last month” or “next quarter”. Choose the option that works best for your needs, and Excel will do the rest.

Step 5: Clear or Remove a Filter

To clear or remove a filter, click the filter icon in the relevant column, and select “Clear Filter From “. This will remove the filter, and you will see all of your data again.

Filtering data in Excel is an essential function that can help you quickly analyze and make sense of large amounts of information. By following these simple steps, you’ll be able to filter your data quickly and efficiently, making it easier to identify patterns and trends that can help you make better business decisions.

Filtering with Advanced Criteria

In addition to filtering data by value or date, you can also use advanced criteria to filter your data. This allows you to filter by more complex criteria like those containing specific words or phrases, values that meet certain criteria, or combinations of both.

To do this, click the filter icon in the relevant column and select “Filter by Color”. In the dropdown, select “Filter by Color” then select “Filter by Cell Color” and pick the color you want to filter by. Your data will now be filtered based on your advanced criteria, and you can save this filtered dataset for later use.

Customizing Your Filtered Results

After you’ve applied your filter, you may want to customize your results to make it easier to analyze your data. Excel has a variety of built-in options to customize your results, including sorting your data in ascending or descending order, applying charts or graphs to visualize your data, or even pivot tables to create summaries of your data.

To customize your results, go to the “Data” tab and select “Sort & Filter”. Here, you will find various options like “Sort A to Z”, “Sort Z to A”, or “Custom Sort”. You can also select “Charts” or “PivotTable” to create custom graphs or tables that display your filtered results in a way that makes sense for your needs.

Filtering Across Multiple Columns

In some cases, you may want to filter your data across multiple columns to identify specific combinations of data. For example, if you have a list of sales records, you might want to filter by specific salespeople and products.

To do this, select the data range you want to filter across, then go to the “Data” tab and select “Sort & Filter”. Select “Filter”, and then use the drop-down menus in each column header to filter your data. As you apply filters across multiple columns, your results will become more and more specific, helping you zero in on the precise data you need.

Filtering data in Excel is an indispensable function that can help you make sense of vast amounts of data quickly. By understanding the different types of filters and how to apply them, you can quickly and easily sift through data, uncovering insights and trends that would otherwise be hidden. Whether you’re a business professional, data analyst, or just using Excel for personal reasons, filtering is a powerful tool that can save you time and unlock the full potential of your data.

FAQ

Find the answers to some frequently asked questions related to creating filters in Excel below:

What is a filter in Excel?

A filter in Excel is a tool that allows you to display only specific data or records based on defined criteria. It helps you to narrow down a large dataset to a smaller, more manageable subset, making it easier to analyze and detect patterns in your data.

What types of data can I filter in Excel?

You can filter almost any kind of data in Excel, including text, numbers, dates, and logical values (true/false). This is because Excel offers different filters for each data type, allowing you to filter your data based on your specific needs.

Can I use multiple filters at once?

Yes, you can use multiple filters at the same time in Excel. You can use different filters in different columns or create a combined filter across multiple columns to create a more specific subset of data.

Can I remove or clear a filter in Excel?

Yes, you can remove or clear a filter in Excel using the “Clear Filter” option. Simply click the filter icon in the relevant column and select “Clear Filter from “. This will remove the filter, and you will see all of your data again.

Can I save my filtered data in Excel?

Yes, you can save your filtered data in Excel by copying it to a new worksheet or by creating a new table based on your filtered data. This will create a permanent copy of your filtered data that you can continue to work with or save for future use.