Freezing Panes and View Options

Whenever you're working with a lot of data, it can be difficult to compare information in
your workbook. Fortunately, Excel includes several tools that make it easier to view content
from different parts of your workbook at the same time, including the ability
to freeze panes and split your worksheet.
To freeze rows:
You may want to see certain rows or columns all the time in your worksheet,
especially header cells. By freezing rows or columns in place, you'll be able to scroll through
your content while continuing to view the frozen cells.
Select the row below the row(s) you want to freeze. In our example, we want to freeze
rows 1 and 2, so we'll select row 3.

On the View tab, select the Freeze Panes command, then choose Freeze Panes from the drop-
down menu.

The rows will be frozen in place, as indicated by the gray line. You can scroll down the
worksheet while continuing to view the frozen rows at the top. In our example, we've
scrolled down to row 18.
To freeze columns:
Select the column to the right of the column(s) you want to freeze. In our example, we want
to freeze column A, so we'll select column B.

On the View tab, select the Freeze Panes command, then choose Freeze Panes from the drop-
down menu.

The column will be frozen in place, as indicated by the gray line. You can scroll across the
worksheet while continuing to view the frozen column on the left. In our example, we've
scrolled across to column E.

If you only need to freeze the top row (row 1) or first column (column A) in the worksheet,
you can simply select Freeze Top Row or Freeze First Column from the drop-down menu.
To unfreeze panes:
If you want to select a different view option, you may first need to reset the spreadsheet by
unfreezing panes. To unfreeze rows or columns, click the Freeze Panes command, then
select Unfreeze Panes from the drop-down menu.

Other view options

If your workbook contains a lot of content, it can sometimes be difficult to compare different
sections. Excel includes additional options to make your workbooks easier to view and
compare. For example, you can choose to open a new window for your workbook or split a
worksheet into separate panes.
To open a new window for the current workbook:
Excel allows you to open multiple windows for a single workbook at the same time. In our
example, we'll use this feature to compare two different worksheets from the same
workbook.
Click the View tab on the Ribbon, then select the New Window command.
A new window for the workbook will appear.

You can now compare different worksheets from the same workbook across windows. In our
example, we'll select the 2013 Sales Detailed View worksheet to
compare 2012 and 2013 sales.
If you have several windows open at the same time, you can use the Arrange All command
to rearrange them quickly.

To split a worksheet:
Sometimes you may want to compare different sections of the same workbook without
creating a new window. The Split command allows you to divide the worksheet into multiple
panes that scroll separately.
Select the cell where you want to split the worksheet. In our example, we'll select cell D6.
Click the View tab on the Ribbon, then select the Split command.

The workbook will be split into different panes. You can scroll through each pane separately
using the scroll bars, allowing you to compare different sections of the workbook.

After creating a split, you can click and drag the vertical and horizontal dividers to change
the size of each section.
To remove the split, click the Split command again.
 Sorting data
As you add more content to a worksheet, organizing this information becomes especially
important. You can quickly reorganize a worksheet by sorting your data. For example, you
could organize a list of contact information by last name. Content can be sorted
alphabetically, numerically, and in many other ways.
Types of sorting
When sorting data, it's important to first decide if you want the sort to apply to the entire
worksheet or just a cell range.
Sort sheet organizes all of the data in your worksheet by one column. Related information
across each row is kept together when the sort is applied. In the example below, the Contact
Name column (column A) has been sorted to display the names in alphabetical order.

Sort range sorts the data in a range of cells, which can be helpful when working with a sheet
that contains several tables. Sorting a range will not affect other content on the worksheet.
To sort a sheet:
In our example, we'll sort a T-shirt order form alphabetically by Last Name (column C).
Select a cell in the column you want to sort by. In our example, we'll select cell C2.

Select the Data tab on the Ribbon, then click the A-Z command to sort A to Z, or the Z-A
command to sort Z to A. In our example, we'll sort A to Z.
The worksheet will be sorted by the selected column. In our example, the worksheet is now
sorted by last name.

To sort a range:
In our example, we'll select a separate table in our T-shirt order form to sort the number of
shirts that were ordered on different dates.
Select the cell range you want to sort. In our example, we'll select cell range G2:H6.

Select the Data tab on the Ribbon, then click the Sort command.

The Sort dialog box will appear. Choose the column you want to sort by. In our example, we
want to sort the data by the number of T-shirt orders, so we'll select Orders.
Decide the sorting order (either ascending or descending). In our example, we'll use Largest
to Smallest. Once you're satisfied with your selection, click OK.

The cell range will be sorted by the selected column. In our example, the Orders column will
be sorted from highest to lowest. Notice that the other content in the worksheet was not
affected by the sort.

If your data isn't sorting properly, double-check your cell values to make sure they are
entered into the worksheet correctly. Even a small typo could cause problems when sorting a
large worksheet. In the example below, we forgot to include a hyphen in cell A18, causing
our sort to be slightly inaccurate.
Custom sorting
Sometimes you may find that the default sorting options can't sort data in the order you need.
Fortunately, Excel allows you to create a custom list to define your own sorting order.
To create a custom sort:
In our example below, we want to sort the worksheet by T-Shirt Size (column D). A regular
sort would organize the sizes alphabetically, which would be incorrect. Instead, we'll create a
custom list to sort from smallest to largest.
Select a cell in the column you want to sort by. In our example, we'll select cell D2.

Select the Data tab, then click the Sort command.

The Sort dialog box will appear. Select the column you want to sort by, then choose Custom
List... from the Order field. In our example, we will choose to sort by T-Shirt Size.
The Custom Lists dialog box will appear. Select NEW LIST from the Custom Lists: box.
Type the items in the desired custom order in the List entries: box. In our example, we want
to sort our data by T-shirt size from smallest to largest, so we'll type Small, Medium, Large,
and X-Large, pressing Enter on the keyboard after each item.

Click Add to save the new sort order. The new list will be added to the Custom lists: box.
Make sure the new list is selected, then click OK.
The Custom Lists dialog box will close. Click OK in the Sort dialog box to perform the
custom sort.

The worksheet will be sorted by the custom order. In our example, the worksheet is now
organized by T-shirt size from smallest to largest.
Sorting levels
If you need more control over how your data is sorted, you can add multiple levels to any
sort. This allows you to sort your data by more than one column.
To add a level:
In our example below, we'll sort the worksheet by T-Shirt Size (Column D), and then
by Homeroom Number (column A).
Select a cell in the column you want to sort by. In our example, we'll select cell A2.

Click the Data tab, then select the Sort command.

The Sort dialog box will appear. Select the first column you want to sort by. In this example,
we will sort by T-Shirt Size (column D) with the custom list we previously created for the
Order field.
Click Add Level to add another column to sort by.

Select the next column you want to sort by, then click OK. In our example, we'll sort
by Homeroom # (column A).

The worksheet will be sorted according to the selected order. In our example, the orders are
sorted by T-shirt size. Within each group of T-shirt sizes, students are sorted by homeroom
number.
If you need to change the order of a multilevel sort, it's easy to control which column is
sorted first. Simply select the desired column, then click the Move Up or Move Down arrow
to adjust its priority.
 Filtering Data
If your worksheet contains a lot of content, it can be difficult to find information
quickly. Filters can be used to narrow down the data in your worksheet, allowing you to view
only the information you need.
To filter data:
In our example, we'll apply a filter to an equipment log worksheet to display only the laptops
and projectors that are available for checkout.
In order for filtering to work correctly, your worksheet should include a header row, which is
used to identify the name of each column. In our example, our worksheet is organized into
different columns identified by the header cells in row 1: ID#, Type, Equipment Detail, and
so on.

Select the Data tab, then click the Filter command.

A drop-down arrow will appear in the header cell for each column.
Click the drop-down arrow for the column you want to filter. In our example, we will filter
column B to view only certain types of equipment.

The Filter menu will appear. Uncheck the box next to Select All to quickly deselect all data.
Check the boxes next to the data you want to filter, then click OK. In this example, we will
check Laptop and Projector to view only these types of equipment.
The data will be filtered, temporarily hiding any content that doesn't match the criteria. In
our example, only laptops and projectors are visible.

Filtering options can also be accessed from the Sort & Filter command on the Home tab.

To apply multiple filters:

Filters are cumulative, which means you can apply multiple filters to help narrow down your
results. In this example, we've already filtered our worksheet to show laptops and projectors,
and we'd like to narrow it down further to only show laptops and projectors that were
checked out in August.
Click the drop-down arrow for the column you want to filter. In this example, we will add a
filter to column D to view information by date.
The Filter menu will appear.
Check or uncheck the boxes depending on the data you want to filter, then click OK. In our
example, we'll uncheck everything except for August.

The new filter will be applied. In our example, the worksheet is now filtered to show only
laptops and projectors that were checked out in August.
To clear a filter:
After applying a filter, you may want to remove—or clear—it from your worksheet so you'll
be able to filter content in different ways.
Click the drop-down arrow for the filter you want to clear. In our example, we'll clear the
filter in column D.

The Filter menu will appear.

Choose Clear Filter From [COLUMN NAME] from the Filter menu. In our example, we'll
select Clear Filter From "Checked Out".

The filter will be cleared from the column. The previously hidden data will be displayed.
To remove all filters from your worksheet, click the Filter command on the Data tab.

Advanced filtering
If you need a filter for something specific, basic filtering may not give you enough options.
Fortunately, Excel includes many advanced filtering tools, including search, text, date,
and number filtering, which can narrow your results to help find exactly what you need.
To filter with search:
Excel allows you to search for data that contains an exact phrase, number, date, and more. In
our example, we'll use this feature to show only Saris brand products in our equipment log.
Select the Data tab, then click the Filter command. A drop-down arrow will appear in the
header cell for each column. Note: If you've already added filters to your worksheet, you can
skip this step.
Click the drop-down arrow for the column you want to filter. In our example, we'll filter
column C.
The Filter menu will appear. Enter a search term into the search box. Search results will
appear automatically below the Text Filters field as you type. In our example, we'll
type saris to find all Saris brand equipment. When you're done, click OK.

The worksheet will be filtered according to your search term. In our example, the worksheet
is now filtered to show only Saris brand equipment.
To use advanced text filters:
Advanced text filters can be used to display more specific information, like cells that contain
a certain number of characters or data that excludes a specific word or number. In our
example, we'd like to exclude any item containing the word laptop.
Select the Data tab, then click the Filter command. A drop-down arrow will appear in the
header cell for each column. Note: If you've already added filters to your worksheet, you can
skip this step.
Click the drop-down arrow for the column you want to filter. In our example, we'll filter
column C.

The Filter menu will appear. Hover the mouse over Text Filters, then select the desired text
filter from the drop-down menu. In our example, we'll choose Does Not Contain to view data
that does not contain specific text.
The Custom AutoFilter dialog box will appear. Enter the desired text to the right of the filter,
then click OK. In our example, we'll type laptop to exclude any items containing this word.

The data will be filtered by the selected text filter. In our example, our worksheet now
displays items that do not contain the word laptop.
To use advanced number filters:
Advanced number filters allow you to manipulate numbered data in different ways. In this
example, we'll display only certain types of equipment based on the range of ID numbers.
Select the Data tab on the Ribbon, then click the Filter command. A drop-down arrow will
appear in the header cell for each column. Note: If you've already added filters to your
worksheet, you can skip this step.
Click the drop-down arrow for the column you want to filter. In our example, we'll filter
column A to view only a certain range of ID numbers.

The Filter menu will appear. Hover the mouse over Number Filters, then select the desired
number filter from the drop-down menu. In our example, we'll choose Between to view ID
numbers between a specific number range.
The Custom AutoFilter dialog box will appear. Enter the desired number(s) to the right of
each filter, then click OK. In our example, we want to filter for ID numbers greater than or
equal to 3000 but less than or equal to 6000, which will display ID numbers in the 3000-
6000 range.

The data will be filtered by the selected number filter. In our example, only items with an ID
number between 3000 and 6000 are visible.
To use advanced date filters:
Advanced date filters can be used to view information from a certain time period, such as
last year, next quarter, or between two dates. In this example, we'll use advanced date filters
to view only equipment that has been checked out between July 15 and August 15.
Select the Data tab, then click the Filter command. A drop-down arrow will appear in the
header cell for each column. Note: If you've already added filters to your worksheet, you can
skip this step.
Click the drop-down arrow for the column you want to filter. In our example, we'll filter
column D to view only a certain range of dates.

The Filter menu will appear. Hover the mouse over Date Filters, then select the desired date
filter from the drop-down menu. In our example, we'll select Between to view equipment
that has been checked out between July 15 and August 15.
The Custom AutoFilter dialog box will appear. Enter the desired date(s) to the right of each
filter, then click OK. In our example, we want to filter for dates after or equal to July 15,
2015, and before or equal to August 15, 2015, which will display a range between these
dates.

The worksheet will be filtered by the selected date filter. In our example, we can now see
which items have been checked out between July 15 and August 15.