While it is true, Microsoft Excel has been listed as one of the most important office automation programs throughout history. Which basically consists of an arrangement of rows and columns divided by squares, so that makes it easy to modify and manage spreadsheets.
Thus, it is an ideal software for tabulate and organize any type of information, As for insert numeric data in order to manage them in the best possible way. Taking into account that, it provides numerous tools to order these data and optimize their presentation.
So, one of those tools, consist of pivot tables in excel. Well, they are elements that allow summarize and analyze large amounts of information, in a simple way, just by dragging and dropping the different columns that are part of the table. So that, they allow filtering data and here, we will teach you how to do it.
When is it necessary to filter data in an Excel pivot table?
Generally speaking, pivot tables are useful utilities for summarize a huge flow of data contained in an excel spreadsheet, with the objective of facilitate their management and analysis, an effective form. Which is why pivot tables also support the ability to filter information.
In this sense, it is considered that it is necessary to filter data in an Excel pivot table to achieve take large sets of information and from it create truly detailed in-depth summaries. Whereas, given a remarkable amount of information, sometimes users need more flexibility and that is why, the function of filtering and ordering information has been added.
As a consequence, it is possible insert one or more data segmentations to filter in a practical and efficient way. Also, there is the possibility to apply filters to any row field of the pivot table by means of an autofilter which generally works in conjunction with information segmentations in order to distill all the content in a greater instance.
Steps to sort and filter information in an Excel pivot table
Before proceeding to filter or order the information contained within a pivot table, you need to make the same. To do this, you simply must choose the entire table in question and go to the program's options bar, there click on the “Insert” tab.
Then in the Tables group, select the “Pivot Table” option and choose the location of this (it is recommended in the same spreadsheet). Having done all of the above, you will have already created your dynamic table and from this moment, you can start filtering and ordering the available data manually or with data segmentation.
First, we explain how to carry it out manually:
- To filter data manually, just select the down arrow or the column header, specifically, in the column you want to filter.
- After that, deactivate the "Select all" option and click on the boxes that you prefer to be displayed.
- Done that click the "OK" button and thus, all the data will be filtered based on the parameters established above.
On the other hand, if you choose to filter data within a pivot table through data segmentation, the steps to follow are different from those just indicated.
Therefore, the following procedure is required to carry it out correctly:
- First of all, you have to select any cell in pivot table, to display the corresponding tools.
- Then head to the top of Excel and among the options available in PivotTable Tools, click on the tab that says “Analyze”.
- Following this, he proceeds to Find the Filter group and then click on the option "Insert data segmentation".
- Now it's time to choose the fields for which you want to create segmentations and when you do it, just click the OK button.
- After the above, the program will be in charge of presenting a calculation segmentation within the sheet for each selection you have made in the previous step. Taking into account that, you can modify its size and place it where you prefer.
- Finally, within the boxes obtained through data segmentation, you can click on the buttons of each filter to choose the elements to show in the original dynamic table.
