Bottom line: Learn how to create a list of the (Multiple Items) that are filtered for in the pivot table Fields area. Show
Skill level: Beginner Watch on YouTube & Subscribe to our Channel Download FileDownload the sample Excel file to follow along. The (Multiple Items) DilemmaThe Filters area of the pivot table allows us to apply a filter to the entire pivot table. This is a great way to filter the report to only see data for certain time periods, categories, regions, etc. We can check the Select Multiple Items box in the filter drop down menu to filter the pivot table for multiple items in the field. This is a really powerful feature. However, when we filter for more than one item, the cell that contains the filter drop-down menu displays the phrase “(Multiple Items)”. There is no way to see what items the pivot table is being filtered for unless we open the filter drop-down menu and scroll through the list. This is time consuming, and can also cause confusion for readers and users of our Excel files. 3 Ways to Display the Filter Criteria on the WorksheetEven though there is no built-in way to display the filter list, I have 3 simple workarounds that can be implemented pretty quickly. It's important to note that these solutions are additive. That means in order for solution #3 to work, we will need to implement solutions #1 and #2 first. Read on and you will see what I mean. Solution #1 – Add a Slicer to the Pivot TableThe quickest way to see a list of the Multiple Items in the filter is to add a slicer to the pivot table.
A slicer will be added to the worksheet. The items that are selected in the filter drop-down list will also be selected/highlighted in the slicer. These two controls work interchangeably, and we can use both the slicer and the filter drop-down menu to apply filters to the pivot table. The slicer is a great solution if you only have a few items in the filter list. If you have dozens or hundreds of items in the filter list, then the user is required to scroll horizontally through the slicer to see the selected items. So, it's not the best solution for long filter lists. Solution #2 – Add a Connected Pivot TableWe can list out all of the selected filter items in cells on the worksheet with another pivot table. Here is a quick guide of the steps to create the connected pivot table. Please watch the video above for further instructions. It's important to note that we still need the slicer created in Solution #1 for this to work.
This new pivot table will display a list of the items that are filtered for in the first pivot table. As filters are applied to the Filters area of the first pivot table, the second pivot table automatically updates to display the filter items. This happens because both pivot tables are connected by the slicer. Pretty cool stuff! 🙂 This solution allows us to create formulas based on the list of applied filter items in the pivot table. We can use this in all types of scenarios for creating interactive reports, dashboards and financial models. The possibilities are endless. Solution #3 is an example of how to use the results in a formula. Solution #3 – Create a Comma Separated List of Filter ItemsThe list of filter items can also be joined into one list of comma separated values in one cell. This is nice if you want to display the list right next to the pivot table. We can easily create this list with the new TEXTJOIN function that was introduced in Excel 2016. If you don't have Excel 2016 or Office 365 yet, then you can also do this with the CONCATENATE function. It's just more work to setup. Again, for this to work we will need to implement solutions #1 and #2 first. Here are the steps. Checkout the video above for more details.
There are a lot of options with this solution. We can change the delimiter to a different character besides a comma. We can even use the line break character CHAR(10) to list each item on a new line in the same cell. Just apply Wrap Text to the cell. Another option for the delimiter is the pipe character. ” | “ What if I don't have TEXTJOIN?If you aren't using Excel 2016 or Office 365 yet, then you can create this formula with the CONCATENATE function. It is just more work to setup. However, I have a free macro that creates the CONCATENATE formula for you, including the delimiter character. Multiple Ways to List Multiple ItemsWell, there are 3 ways to list and display the filter items on the worksheet. The magic here is in the slicer that allows us to create connections between pivot tables. Checkout my article on how slicers and pivot tables are connected for a detail explanation on this relationship. I also have a video on how to use slicers. You can share this with your co-workers and users that are not familiar with using slicers. I also have a free 3-part video series on Filters in Excel that is part of my Filters 101 Course. My free 3-part video series on pivot tables and dashboards explains more about creating interactive reports with slicers and charts. Please leave a comment below with any questions. I'm interested to hear how you will implement these techniques in your Excel files. Thank you! 🙂 How do you select cells that meet specific criteria in Excel?Use the Go To command to quickly find and select all cells that contain specific types of data, such as formulas. Also, use Go To to find only the cells that meet specific criteria,—such as the last cell on the worksheet that contains data or formatting.
Which feature of Excel allows you to copy rows that match filter criteria to another location?On the Data tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click Advanced. To filter the list range by copying rows that match your criteria to another area of the worksheet, click Copy to another location, click in the Copy to box, and then click the upper-left corner of the area where you want to paste the rows.
What is the feature of MS Excel to get specific data from selected range of cells?Press F5 or CTRL+G to launch the Go To dialog. In the Go to list, click the name of the cell or range that you want to select, or type the cell reference in the Reference box, then press OK. For example, in the Reference box, type B3 to select that cell, or type B1:B3 to select a range of cells.
How do you pull data from one Excel sheet to another based on criteria?Use Copy and Paste Link to automatically transfer data from one Excel worksheet to another. Open two spreadsheets containing the same, simple dataset.. In sheet 1, select a cell and type Ctrl + C / Cmd + C to copy it.. In sheet 2, right-click on the equivalent cell and go to the Paste > Link.. |