Microsoft Excel - Filtering - Auto Filter and Advanced Filter

Filtering is a quick and easy way to find and work with a subset of data in a range. A filtered range displays only the rows that meet the criteria you specify for a column. Microsoft Excel provides two commands for filtering ranges:

• AutoFilter, which includes filter by selection, for simple criteria
• Advanced Filter, for more complex criteria

Unlike sorting, filtering does not rearrange a range. Filtering temporarily hides rows you do not want displayed.

When Excel filters rows, you can edit, format, chart, and print your range subset without rearranging or moving it.

AutoFilter

When you use the AutoFilter command, AutoFilter arrows appear to the right of the column labels in the filtered range.

1. Unfiltered range
2. Filtered range

Microsoft Excel indicates the filtered items with blue.
You use custom AutoFilter to display rows that contain either one value or another. You can also use custom AutoFilter to display rows that meet more than one condition for a column; for example, you might display rows that contain values within a specific range (such as a value of Davolio).

Advanced Filter

The Advanced Filter command can filter a range in place like the AutoFilter command, but it does not display drop-down lists for the columns. Instead, you type the criteria you want to filter by in a separate criteria range above the range. A criteria range allows for more complex criteria to be filtered.