askvity

How to Use an Excel Filter?

Published in Excel Filters 3 mins read

Using filters in Excel allows you to quickly sort and display specific data within a larger dataset. Here's how to effectively use Excel's filter functionality:

Steps to Apply a Filter

  1. Select a Cell: Begin by selecting any cell within the data range you want to filter.
  2. Enable the Filter: Navigate to the "Data" tab in the Excel ribbon and click the "Filter" button. This will add dropdown arrows to each column header in your data range.
  3. Choose a Column: Click the dropdown arrow in the column header you wish to filter. This will open a filter menu.
  4. Apply Filtering Criteria:
    • For text-based columns, select "Text Filters" and choose a comparison operator (e.g., "Equals", "Contains", "Begins With").
    • For numerical columns, select "Number Filters" and select a comparison operator (e.g., "Equals", "Between", "Greater Than").
  5. Specify Values: Enter the specific value or criteria you want to filter by. For example, if you selected "Between", you'll need to enter a starting and ending value. Click "OK" to apply the filter.

Example Scenarios

Here are a few examples to illustrate how filters can be used:

  • Filtering Sales Data: Suppose you have a column titled "Region" and you want to see data only for the "East" region. You would:
    1. Click the filter arrow in the "Region" column.
    2. Select "Text Filters" -> "Equals".
    3. Enter "East" and click "OK".
  • Filtering Numerical Data: Imagine you have a column called "Sales Amount" and you want to see all sales between $100 and $500. You would:
    1. Click the filter arrow in the "Sales Amount" column.
    2. Select "Number Filters" -> "Between".
    3. Enter "100" in the "is greater than or equal to" box and "500" in the "is less than or equal to" box, then click "OK".

Clearing a Filter

To remove a filter from a specific column, click the filter arrow in the column header and select "Clear Filter From [Column Name]". To remove all filters, go to the "Data" tab and click the "Filter" button again to toggle filtering off.

Advanced Filtering

Excel also offers advanced filtering options, including:

  • Filtering by Multiple Criteria: You can filter on multiple columns simultaneously to narrow down your results.
  • Custom Filters: Create custom filters using more complex criteria with the "Custom" option in the filter menu.

Related Articles