Need Help with Filter

[lopan1]

I have a spreadsheet in a shared network and i believe someone may have messed with it. Before I was able to highlight an x amount of columns and rows, click on filter under the data tab to have drop down tabs show across the selected columns and sort from smallest to largest (number). Now when I do the same thing, the entire sheet is sorted and not just what I am choosing to be filtered. Does anyone know how to fix this or know what would cause this to happen???

[Richard Buttrey]

Hi,

Your question is unclear - at least to me.

Sorry if I'm teaching grandma to suck eggs but Filtering and Sorting are two quite different processes. A Filter doesn't sort anything.

Normally of course you'd want to include many columns in a sort since usually you want to maintain relationships across a particular row.
Can you clarify. Describe exactly what you have in terms of cells and ranges, the steps you are taking, what actually happens and what you expect to happen.

[lopan1]

Okay,

Here is an example...
I have rows A4-A13 numbered 1-10. I manipulate 1-10 according to what I will be handing out to the shop floor and what they will be working on next. Once I am done numbers are not in sequence hence the filtering. I highlight A3 thru to M13 which has various work order numbers, description etc. and once i highlight A13 to M13, I click on data tab, click on "filter" to have drop down tabs over A3 thru M3. I click on the drop down tab under A3 and select "sort smallest to largest". Now normally once I do this numbers 1-10 will be placed in order for only the particular area that i have highlighted. But now when I do this, everything is grabbed on the entire sheet and placed altogether. I have sections on the same sheet that are for different work centers and I was able to do this process to each one. Now I cant. Is this more detailed? Do you know what would cause this???

[Richard Buttrey]

Hi,

With the attached can you repeat the process and say whether what you think should happen is happening. I've shown a Before and After as I understand what you're saying.

[lopan1]

Close. Look at the attachemnt. I'm trying to filter column A to go in sequence.

[Richard Buttrey]

Hi,

Sorry, I still don't understand. The file you've returned where you've added a new table in A19 does have column A in sequence. In fact it's the same as the original set of test data I show in A3.

Please add the table you expect once you've performed the process you want.

[lopan1]

Let's see if this helps you see what I'm talking about...

[Richard Buttrey]

Sorry,

You've not explained what you are doing to end up with an output of 23 rows when you only start with 10 rows. No amount of filtering and sorting can increase the number of rows of data. You must be doing something else in addition.

If you can describe step by step how you get from the situation in rows 19:29, to that in 47:70 we may be able to help.

[lopan1]

That's what I have been saying. I have not done anything different that what I have been doing and had said earlier on. I highlight that section, click on filter under the data tab, click on the filter tab that is comes up on "358", click on sort from smallest to largest, and instead of just sorting out 1-10 the whole page is sorted.

I really don't know how else to explain it...

[Richard Buttrey]

Sorry to labour this but I need to understand exactly which cells you are selecting, filtering and sorting. By that I mean cell references.

'that section' is not explicit enough, what do you mean by 'data tab', what do you mean by 'whole page'.

As I interpret your request, although clearly not presumably what you're doing, when I select A19:M29 with the 'my data has headers' selected and then choose to sort it by the '358' column I end up with exactly what you show in A33:L43.

I'm not clear why you even need to filter it.

If the A19:M29 range in your example is not your complete list of data in the real world then upload an example workbook which does contain a representative sample of your data.

[lopan1]

I attached the entire spreadsheet that I use....I highlight rows A3-M13. I click on the data tab on top of the excel menu. I click filter that is right next to the sort button. Tabs will show up on A3, B3, C3, D3, E3, so on and so forth. I click on A3 drop tab "358". I select "sort from smallest to largest". Normally this would sort everything back in sequence from 1-10 for A4-M13 only excluding A3-M3. Now however, even though I highlight A3-M13 and only want that section put in sequence the entire page is put into sequence as if I highlighted the entire page when I have not.

This is the best I know how to explain what is happening. If there is anyone else that can lend a hand please feel free to jump in...

[Richard Buttrey]

Hi,

What you describe from within the filter functionality will only sort column A3:A13. Hence you will lose the relationships between items in column A and the other columns.

Rather than using Filter from the Data menu choose instead the Sort option from the data tab.
Select A3:M14 and click Sort.

[lopan1]

Thank you so much Richard. Most of all thank you for your patience. Works perfectly. You're ok in my book

[Cutter]

@ lopan1

Based on your last post it seems that you are satisfied with the solution(s) you've received but you haven't marked your thread as SOLVED. I'll do that for you now but please keep in mind for your future threads that Rule #9 requires you to do that yourself. If your problem has not been solved you can use Thread Tools (located above your first post) and choose "Mark this thread as unsolved".
Thanks.

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