Have you ever been overwhelmed by a massive spreadsheet, struggling to find the information you need? Filtering is the solution you’ve been looking for! With filtering, you can easily sort and display only the data you want to see. Let me show you how to filter your data in Google Sheets.
Getting Started with Filtering
Start by selecting the cells in your sheet that you want to filter. Once selected, click on Data > Create a filter or use the Filter button in the toolbar. Now, you’ll notice the filter icon appearing in the top cell of each column for the selected cells.
To sort or filter your spreadsheet based on the content of a specific column, simply click on the filter icon. Let’s say we’re looking at population data for the United States, and we want to display only states with a seat in the House. We can achieve this by clicking on Filter by values and selecting “1”. Finally, click OK, and our spreadsheet is now filtered!
But that’s not all. The Filter by values option is just the beginning. For more complex filtering, we can utilize the Filter by condition feature. Let’s go back to our example data. If we want to filter the spreadsheet to show only states and territories with less than one million inhabitants as of April 2010, we can do that too. Under Filter by condition, choose Less than and enter 1,000,000 as the value. Once again, click OK, and our results are filtered accordingly.
Of course, Less than is just one of the drop-down menus available. Google Sheets offers a wide array of options for filtering your data in various ways. The best way to become a filtering expert is to try it out yourself!
Disabling Filters
In case you want to disable your filter and go back to your complete spreadsheet view, it’s super easy. Just click on Data > Turn off filter or use the filter button in the toolbar. Doing so will instantly restore your complete spreadsheet.
However, it’s essential to note that disabling the filters will result in the loss of any unsaved filters. So, make sure to save your filters if you want to reuse them later on.
How to Save Filtered Views in Google Sheets
Did you know that you can save your filters for future use? Here’s how: once you’ve set up a filter as described above, click on Data > Filter views > Save as filter view. This action will create a saved filtered view, which you can optionally name for easy reference.
From that point forward, you can access your saved filtered view anytime by clicking on Data > Filter views and selecting the view you want. Additionally, if you’ve shared your Google spreadsheet with others, they will also have access to your saved filters.
Ready to dive deeper into managing your data in Google Sheets? Check out this article on How to Sort in Google Sheets for more tips and tricks!
Now that you know how to filter your data in Google Sheets, managing your spreadsheets will be a breeze. Say goodbye to information overload and say hello to a more organized and efficient workflow. Happy filtering!
