How to create drop down filter list in excel 2010

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Introduction

Filters can be used to narrow the data in your spreadsheet and hide parts of it from view. While it may sound a bit like grouping, filtering is different because it allows you to qualify and display only the data that matters to you. For example, you can filter a list of survey participants to see only those who are between the ages of 25 and 34. You can also filter an inventory of paint colors to see anything that contains the word blue, such as bluebell or robin’s egg blue.

In this lesson, you will learn how to filter the data in your worksheet to display only the information you need.

Filtering Data

FFilters can be applied in different ways to improve the performance of your worksheet. You can filter text, dates and numbers. You can even use more than one filter to further limit your results.

Optional: You can download this example for further practice.

To filter data:

In this example, we will filter the content of a team record in a company of technology. We’ll show only the laptops and projectors that are available to pay for.

1. Start with a worksheet that identifies each column using a header row.
2. Select Data, then locate the Sort and Filter group.
3. Click the Filter command.
4. Drop – Down arrows will appear in the header of each column.
5. Click the drop-down arrow for the column you want to filter. In this example, we’ll filter the Type column to see only certain types of equipment.
6. The Filter menu will appear.
7. Uncheck Check the boxes next to data you don’t want to see, or uncheck the box next to Select All to quickly uncheck everything.
8. Check the boxes next to the data you want to see. In this example, we will select Laptop and Projector to see only these types of computers.
9. Click OK. All other data will be temporarily filtered or hidden. Only laptops and projectors will be visible.

Filtering options can also be found on the Home tab, condensed into the Sort and Filter command.

To add another filter:

Filters are additive, which means you can use as many as you need to limit your results. In this example, we’ll be working with a spreadsheet that has already been filtered to show only laptops and projectors. We will now show only laptops and projectors that were checked out during the month of August.

1. Click the drop-down arrow where you want to add a filter. In this example, we’ll add a filter to the Checked Out column to view data by date.
2. Uncheck the boxes next to the data you don’t want to see. Check the boxes next to the data you want to see. In this example, we will check the box next to August.
3. Click OK. In addition to the original filter, the new filter will be applied. The spreadsheet will shrink further.

To clear a filter:

1. Click the drop-down arrow in the column from which you want to clear the filter.
2. Select Clear Filter From.
3. The filter will be cleared from the column. Data that was previously hidden will be shown again.

To instantly clear all filters from your worksheet, click the Filter command on the Data tab .

Advanced Filtering

To filter using search:

Search data is a convenient alternative to checking or unchecking data from the list. You can search for data that contains an exact phrase, a number, a date, or a simple fragment. For example, if you search for the exact phrase Saris X-10 laptop, only Saris X-10 laptops will be returned. However, if you search for the word Saris, it will return Saris X-10 laptops and any other Saris equipment, including projectors and digital cameras.

1. From the data , click the Filter command.
2. Click the drop-down arrow on the column you want to filter. In this example, we’ll filter the Team Details column to see only a specific brand.
3. Enter the data you’d like to see in the Search box. We will enter the word Saris to find all the equipment of the brand Saris. The search results will appear automatically.
4. Check the boxes next to the data you want to display. We will display all the data that includes the Saris brand.
5. Click OK. The worksheet will be filtered based on your search term.

Using Advanced Text Filters

Advanced Text Filters can be used to display more specific information, such as cells that contain a a certain number of characters or data that does not contain a word that you specify. In this example, we’ll use advanced text filters to hide any camera-related equipment, including digital cameras and camcorders.

1. From the Data tab, click the command Filter.
2. Click the drop-down arrow in the column of text you want to filter. In this example, we’ll filter the Equipment Details column to see only certain types of equipment.
3. Choose Text Filters to open the advanced filtering menu.
4. Choose a filter. In this example, we’ll choose Does Not Contain to view data that does not contain the text we specified.
5. The Custom AutoFilter dialog box will appear.
6. Enter your text to the right of your filter. In this example, we’ll enter cam to see data that doesn’t contain these letters. That will exclude any camera-related equipment such as digital cameras, camera cameras, camera bags and cameras. digital. printer.
7. Click OK. The data will be filtered according to the filter you chose and the text you specified.

Using advanced date filters

Advanced date filters can be used to view information for a certain time period, such as last year, the next quarter, or between two dates. Excel automatically knows your current date and time, which makes this tool easy to use. In this example, we’ll use advanced date filters to see only equipment that has been checked out this week.

1. From the Data tab, click Command> Filter.
2. Click the drop-down arrow in the column of dates you want to filter. In this example, we’ll filter the Checked Out column to see only a certain range of dates.
3. Choose Date Filters to open the advanced filtering menu.
4. Click a filter. We’ll choose This Week to see equipment checked out this week.
5. The worksheet will be filtered according to the date filter you chose.

If you are working together with the example file, your results will be different from the images above. If you want, you can change some of the dates to make the filter give you more results.

Using Advanced Numeric Filters

Advanced Numeric Filters allows you to manipulate data numbered in different ways. For example, in a test scores spreadsheet, you can display the top and bottom numbers to see the highest and lowest scores. In this example, we will display only certain types of equipment based on the range of ID numbers assigned to them.

1. From the Data tab, click the Filter command.
2. Click the drop-down arrow in the column of numbers you want to filter. In this example, we’ll filter the ID # column to see only a certain range of ID #s.
3. Choose Numeric Filters to open the advanced filtering menu.
5. Choose a filter. In this example, we’ll choose Between to see the ID numbers among the numbers we specified.
6. Enter a number to the right of each filter. In this example, we will see ID numbers greater than or equal to 3000 but less than or equal to 4000. This will display ID numbers in the range 3000-4000.
7. Click OK . The data will be filtered according to the filter you chose and the numbers you specified.

Challenge!

1. Open an Excel 2010 workbook existing. If you want, you can use this example.
2. Filter a column of data. If you’re using the example, filter the Type column to show only laptops and other equipment.
3. Add another filter looking for the data you want. If you are using the example, look for EDI brand equipment in the Item Description column.
4. Clear both filters.
5. Use a text advanced filter to view data that does not contain a certain word or phrase. If you are using the example, display data that does not contain the word camera. This should exclude any camera-related equipment such as digital camerasand camerascameras
6. Use an advanced date filter . > to view data for a given period of time. If you are using the example, show only the computer that was checked out in September 2010.
7. Use an advanced number filter > to see numbers less than a certain amount.If you are using the example, display all ID numbers less than 3000.

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