Filter

A second database feature that I want to explain, is the “Filter” option.

By filtering data, we mean (only) showing data which meets certain conditions.

The first thing you want to do when you want to “Filter” is to place the cursor in the “Range of cells (1) to be considered for sorting. Next, click the button “Sort & Filter” (3) under the tab “Home” (2) in the Ribbon, and choose the option “Filter” (4) in the drop-down menu. Another way is to choose the “Data” tab in the ribbon and click the button “Filter”. Or, a third way, is to click the shortcut Shift Ctrl L on your keyboard.

Either one of those three options will place a downward pointing arrow next to each column header (1).

We click on these arrows, when we wish to “Filter” the data.

Clicking on an arrows will open a drop-down menu (1) with different sorting options.

These options depend on the data in the field (1) and all fields mentioned in the column (2)

Options for a field with text                                  

Options for a field with numbers 

To “filter”, deselect the checkmark at the “Select All” mark and select the fields you wish to display.

A third option, new in Excel 2010, is the “Search” box (3).

As soon as you start typing, Excel will immediately show you only the possible fields.

If you click the OK button, the filters are applied and the fields that meet the filter criteria are shown on your worksheet.

A great improvement

When you apply a “Filter”, the arrow changes to an icon (1). When place the mouse pointer over this icon, a small box containing text appears explaining the “Filter” (2) that is applied.

You also have the ability to filter on different columns. For example, in the image below the column “Name”, and the column “Region” are filtered.

Even after you have filtered, you can still sort.

Erase / delete Filter (s)

There is a difference between a “clear” filter and a “delete” filter.

If you clear a “Filter”, then all records are displayed in these columns again.
When you delete a “Filter”, then an all records from these columns reappear AND the downward pointing arrow in the column is removed.

To clear a filter, click the “Sort & Filter” button under the “Home” tab in the ribbon, click again and select “Filter”.

Then you choose the “Data” tab in the ribbon and you click the “Filter” button.

To remove a filter, click the “Sort & Filter” button under the “Home” tab in the ribbon, and click the “Delete” option from the drop-down menu.
Then you choose the “Data”tab in the ribbon and click the “Delete” button.
If you only want to remove a filter, click the “Filter icon” next to the column title and choose “View” or “filter out” ~ ~ ~ “” Delete “from the pop-up menu.

Filtered data copying

Do you want to copy the filtered data to another worksheet example, select the data, click the shortcut Ctrl C on your keyboard (1).

You select the second worksheet 2), and click the shortcut Ctrl V on your keyboard.

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