Basic Data List Filtering

Filtering refers to the process of sifting through all the records in a data list to display only those records that meet the particular criteria that you specify. In database lingo, this process is also known as querying the database. The records that meet the filtering criteria you set up for the query (and which are subsequently the only ones that are displayed in the list in the worksheet) are referred to as a subset of the database.

Excel's AutoFilter feature makes the filtering of most lists you create a real snap, enabling you to quickly alternate between a subset of the data list containing only the filtered records and the full list with all the records. This technique covers how to use AutoFilter to do basic and custom filtering of the data list. It also covers using the Advanced Filter feature to perform more sophisticated queries that use any number of criteria producing the subset of the data list.