Excel -- Filters -- AutoFilter Tips

AutoFilter Basics

Some tips and techniques for working with AutoFilters, and some workarounds for problems you may encounter.

Limits to Dropdown Lists
Count of Filtered Records in Status Bar
Filter for Text in a Long String

 

 

  


Limits to Dropdown Lists

An AutoFilter dropdown list will only show 1000 entries. As a result, in a large database, the AutoFilter dropdown may not show all the items in the column.

You could add a new column, and use a formula to split the list into two groups, e.g.:
   =IF(LEFT(C2,1)<"N","A-M","N-Z")

or

 

 

 

 

 

 

to split the list into three groups, nest one IF formula
inside another, e.g.:
   =IF(LEFT(C2,1)<"I","A-H",IF(LEFT(C2,1)<"Q","I-P","Q-Z"))

Or, for a column with thousands of unique entries, use a formula which extracts the first two or three letters, e.g.:
   =LEFT(C2,2)
Filter on this column first, then by the intended criteria.

 

 


Count of Filtered Records in Status Bar

Normally, after you have applied an AutoFilter, the Status Bar shows a count of visible records. Sometimes it just says, "Filter Mode." This can happen when your list has many formulas. There are articles in the Microsoft KnowledgeBase that explain:

XL2000: Excel AutoFilter Status Bar Message Shows "Filter Mode" Q213886)
XL: AutoFilter Status Bar Message Shows "Filter Mode" (Q189479)

The Status Bar will also show "Filter Mode" if anything is changed in the list, after a filter has been applied. For example, if you format a cell, or type a number in one of the records, the 'Filter Mode' message will appear in the Status Bar.

 





  

Workaround #1 -- Subtotal

For a record count of the visible rows which contain data, you can use the Subtotal function in a formula in the same row as your headings. For example, to count the visible entries in column D which contain numbers, you could use this formula:
      =SUBTOTAL(2,D:D)
The 2 in the first argument tells Excel to use the COUNT function on the visible cells in the range.

To count rows that contain text, you could change the formula:
      =SUBTOTAL(3,C:C)-1
The 3 is for the COUNTA function, and the -1 removes one for the row which contains the column heading.

NOTE: Blank cells will not be counted -- use a column with no blank cells.

   

Workaround #2 -- Status Bar AutoCalc
(from Excel MVP Dave Peterson)

1. Select a column that you know is non-empty.
2. Right-click on the embossed area of the status bar.
3. Choose Count -- it'll tell you how many are in the selected cells.
4. (If you included the header rows, subtract them.)

To see how many total rows, choose Data>Filter>Show All, select a nice column and look at the bottom of the screen.

The nice thing about this is you can get Min/Max/Average/etc. with just simple mouse clicks and selections.

 


Filter for Text in a Long String

You can use the Custom option to filter for cells that contain specific text. However, if the text is located after the 255th character in the cell, it won't be found. Also, the long text strings don't appear in the dropdown list in the heading cell.

As a workaround, enter the search text string in a cell on the worksheet. Then add a formula to check for the text.

 

 

 

 
  1. Insert a new column in the database, and in the heading cell, type the word you're searching for, e.g.: Shop
  2. Enter the following formula in row 2 of the new column:
       =ISNUMBER(SEARCH($B$1,A2))
  3. Copy the formula down to the last row
  4. Filter column B for TRUE
  5. To filter for a different word, type a new string in cell B1, and reapply the filter in column B.

Note: SEARCH is not case sensitive. For a case sensitive filter, use FIND, e.g.:
     =ISNUMBER(FIND($B$1,A2))

For a zipped workbook with sample data, click here.

 

 

 
   
  1. AutoFilter Basics
  2. AutoFilter Tips
  3. AutoFilter Programming
 

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