In this lesson, you can learn how to use filters in Excel.

Excel has a feature of filters that make it easy to find the data you need in your spreadsheets. Filters allow you to view and optionally print only selected data from the table, and perform mathematical operations, taking only the visible data.

We will show you how to use filters in Excel. We will start by explaining the different types of filters available in Excel, and then we will show you how to use them to filter data in a table.

Types of Filters in Excel

There are two main types of filters in Excel: automatic filters and advanced filters.

• Auto Filter, the most frequently used filtering method, allows you to quickly filter data based on the values within a single column. For example, you could use Auto Filter to display only products belonging to “Category1”.
• Advanced Filter offers more sophisticated filtering capabilities, enabling you to filter based on multiple criteria across different columns. For instance, you could use Advanced Filter to display only products that are in “Category1” and have a price less than $100.

How to Use Filters in Excel

To use filters in Excel, you first need to select the range of cells that you want to filter. Then, you can use the following steps:

1. Click on the Data tab.
2. In the Sort & Filter group, click on the Filter button.
3. A drop-down menu will appear. Select the type of filter that you want to use.
4. The filtered data will be displayed in the table.

Example – easy filtering by category in Excel

For example, let’s apply filters to a table of products to narrow down the selection by category.

Select the table header row.

Go to the Ribbon. In the Home tab, click the Sort & Filter icon and select Filter from the list.

In the table appeared some buttons to filter the data.

Click on the Categories. In the list, uncheck the category which you want to be hidden (filtered), such as Category2.

After applying a filter, you can’t see products from Category2.

On the picture above, you can also see that some rows are hidden. You don’t see 3 and 10 row. In the B1 cell, you can also see a symbol of filter close to the arrow. That means that this column is filtered.

If you want to filter more, you can. Let’s hide products from Producer3 and Producer5.

You can also filter prices. There’s number filters. Click filter arrow in D1 cell.

I want to find the cheapest. I select Less Than Or Equal To.

My budget is $150.

That’s how I filtered out products which I don’t want in my table.

Now it is much easier to choose one.

To remove a filter and display all data again, click the filter arrow in the column header and select Select All or Clear Filter From [Column Name].

You can also use advanced filters to apply more complex criteria. To do this, go to the Data tab, click on the Advanced option in the Sort & Filter group, and set your desired conditions.

See also  What is Excel and Basic Knowledge You Need to Know

Related posts:

How to use Goal Seek in Excel Excel Formula Generator: Simplifying Complex Calculations How to combine two columns in Excel