In this post we will learn how to use the Advanced Filter option using VBA to allow us to filter our data on a separate sheet. This has been requested by a lot of our readers and here is how we will use them.
What we need to get this done.
1. Some data that we need filtering on.
2. Define what options we need as drop down lists
3. A cup of coffee
In the sample data, I have defined 4 options to be available as drop down list; this has been done by creating a new sheet called as “Master”. I then copied the existing columns data into this sheet and used the Remove Duplicates feature to get the unique list of items that was required for the drop downs.
The named ranges were created using the INDEX function as shown below
| Named Range | Formula |
| prd | =Master!$A$2:INDEX(Master!$A:$A,COUNTA(Master!$A:$A)) |
| rgn | =Master!$B$2:INDEX(Master!$B:$B,COUNTA(Master!$B:$B)) |
| cust | =Master!$C$2:INDEX(Master!$C:$C,COUNTA(Master!$C:$C)) |
| agnt | =Master!$D$2:INDEX(Master!$D:$D,COUNTA(Master!$D:$D)) |
Now we need to setup the sheet where we need the filtered data to be displayed. Headings were put in cells B5 to B8 and the drop down (using the Data Validation—List) feature was put in cells C5 to C8. Now we need to create or criteria fields in the RawData sheet, this is a requirement and cannot be any place else. When you use the Advanced Filter dialog box and try to place the output onto another sheet Excel will display a message saying “You can only copy data to the Active Sheet”. We will overcome this limit by using VBA and telling Excel where to put the filtered data. I used the cells M1 to P1 to define the headings and cells M2 to P2 to get the actual options from the “Filter Sheet”
| Cells | Formula |
| M2 | =Filter!C5 |
| N2 | =Filter!C6 |
| O2 | =Filter!C7 |
| P2 | =Filter!C8 |
Macro to run advanced filter and extract data
Sub FilterData()
Sheets("Filter").Select
Range("B10").Select
Range(Selection, Selection.End(xlToRight)).Select
Range(Selection, Selection.End(xlDown)).Select
Selection.Clear
Sheets(“RawData”).Range(“Table1[#All]”).AdvancedFilter Action:=xlFilterCopy, CriteriaRange:= _
Sheets(“RawData”).Range(“M1:P2”), CopyToRange:=Sheets(“Filter”).Range(“B10”), Unique:=True
Columns.AutoFit
Range(“B10”).Select
End Sub
First we ensure the current filtered data (in any) is cleared out before we run the code again and then we get the new filtered data from cell B10 onwards. Now let’s understand the actual code that filters our data here.
Sheets("RawData").Range("Table1[#All]").AdvancedFilter
Action:=xlFilterCopy,
CriteriaRange:=Sheets("RawData").Range("M1:P2"),
CopyToRange:=Sheets("Filter").Range("B10"),
Unique:=True
We converted our raw data into an excel table (Structured Reference Structured Reference), by doing this we no longer need to know how many rows our data actually goes down to, the “Table1[#All]” takes care of that for us.
We also need to specify that our data is in another sheet and we are trying to run Advanced Filter on that data range, this is done using the first line ” Sheets(“RawData”).Range(“Table1[#All]”).AdvancedFilter “.
Next we specify the action that we need which is Copy in our case, the other option is “xlFilterInPlace” which would filter right on our data itself.
Then we have specified the Criteria Range (which needs to be on the same sheet where the data is).
And finally we have specified where the output has to be sent to by using : “CopyToRange:=Sheets(“Filter”).Range(“B10″)”
We have also made sure that only Unique records are returned to us by turning Unique:=True.
Download Advanced Filter Demo File
Click here to download the demo file & use it to understand this technique.
Do you use Advanced filters to extract sub-sets of data?
Advanced filters are very powerful and very simple to setup. I use them often to quickly extract what I want.
What about you? Do you use them often? Please share your experiences, techniques & ideas using comments.
Learn more about extracting / consolidating data using VBA
Data extraction and consolidation are one of the most common activities done by reporting professionals & analysts. No wonder we speak about these areas a lot here too. Please check out these pages to learn more:
- Split an excel file in to many using Advanced Filters & VBA [with video]
- Move data from one sheet to many using VBA
- Split text on new line using VBA
- Consolidate data from multiple files in to one using VBA Macros
Want to lean more? Consider joining our VBA Classes
If you would like to learn more about VBA programming, Excel automation, creation of user forms, manipulating data in Access thru Excel etc., consider joining our online VBA Classes. This step-by-step program helps you become awesome in VBA.
20 Responses to “Untrimmable Spaces – Excel Formula”
Hi Chandoo,
First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Wish you and your family another fruitful year ahead.
To answer your question: Power Query is the best way to trim. 🙂
Btw, if Power Query is not available, then formula would absolutely do... but did you forget to mention also Char 32?
One more question: Is the trailing minus meant to be a negative number? Maybe only the sender knows... 🙂
Cheers,
I just see your PQ way, it is amazing, I think it is the most simple way.
No idea how it did it?
I know these spaces can be a real pain but these days I advise Excel users to learn and use Flash Fill and that will learn what to do pretty quickly.
Highlight range to be cleaned. Then, in Replace, hold down the Alt key and type 0160. Replace with nothing.
I accomplished this by writing a macro to go through all the possible unprintable characters. Looped through the range.
@Steve
Brute force works just as well, its just slower
I use a different method here. First, I will copy the data from Excel and paste it in a notepad. In Notepad, I will do a Find Blanks (Space " ") and Replace (Empty) with nothing.
Then you can copy the data from Notepad and paste it back to Excel which will be a perfect number as you desire.
But Thanks for the formula. Its probably the 2nd out of 8 tricks as Chandoo mentioned. Waiting for the rest among 8 from other users 🙂
Hi....
You don't always need notepad for that. I use the Find/Replace is Excel works just fine.
I don't understand the x's. Why weren't they removed in the formula? Or are they part of some sort of numeric formatting that I'm not familiar with? I saw how you handled the non-breaking spaces and the dashes, but am confused about what role the x's played in all this.
Thanks!
Hi Andrew ,
The xs have been used solely to demarcate the actual data text ; thus , without the x in place at the end of text , as in :
x 4,124,500.00 x
it would be impossible to know that there are unwanted trailing characters , in this case , after the last 0.
These xs are not part of the original data text , nor are they used in the formulae ; they are put in only so that readers can visualize the individual items of data as they are in practice. Think of them as imaginary delimiters.
Oh, that makes sense! Thank you for the explanation. I had a feeling it was something along those lines.
You can type this character using the Keys Alt+0160.
Very useful to replace this Character using Find and Select resource.
For many years, my jobs have included ETL tasks and I built this macro to help long, long ago. I tweak it every now and again. Many co-workers, past and present, have it wired to a button on their toolbar.
Sub Clean_and_Trim()
'CAUTION: Strips leading zeroes -- do not use on zipcodes, etc.
If Application.Calculation = xlCalculationAutomatic Then
Application.Calculation = xlCalculationManual
Revert = 1
ElseIf Application.Calculation = xlCalculationManual Then
Revert = 0
End If
For Each Cell In Selection
For x = Len(Cell.Value) To 1 Step -1
If Asc(Mid(Cell.Value, x, 1)) = 160 Then
Cell.Replace What:=Chr(160), Replacement:=" ", LookAt:=xlPart, MatchCase:=True
End If
If Asc(Mid(Cell.Value, x, 1)) = 32 Then
Cell.Replace What:=Chr(32), Replacement:=" ", LookAt:=xlPart, MatchCase:=True
End If
Next x
If Cell.Value "" Then
Cell.Value = Application.Clean(Application.Trim(Cell.Value))
End If
Next
If Revert = 1 Then
Application.Calculation = xlCalculationAutomatic
ElseIf Revert = 0 Then
Application.Calculation = xlCalculationManual
End If
End Sub
This is awesome! What if you have several characters you need to have removed? What would be the easiest way as I can imagine there are several ways.?
# - 35
$ - 36
- 62
/ - 47
, - 44
. - 46
" - 34
: - 58
This is typical case of a Fitbit data export to Csv file. Each number has CHAR160 as thousand separator.. how smart Fitbit, thank you 😉
By the way, i prefer to copy the character, and use find and replace.
Sometimes it happens if you copy a table from outlook and paste it in excel. When you apply formula on those cells you will get error. What i use to do is
copy one character that looks like space,
select the entire range,
go to Find and replace,
Paste the copied character in Find option
Leave the replace option unfilled..
click on replace all..
All the errors shall be converted in to proper values..
Process looks lengthier.. but it is one of the simplest method
If Clean, Trim, and Substitute, or Find and Replace does not complete the job, I usually enter a value of 1 in an empty cell. Copy the Value of 1, Highlight the range of text numbers, and Paste Special, Values, Multiply. This site is great!
You can use Dose for Excel Add-In that can quickly clean huge data with one click besides more than +100 new functions and features to add to your Excel to save time and effort.
https://www.zbrainsoft.com
Hi,
I have a problem in excel. The sheet attached herewith.
TABLE CONFIG 2/6
A B C D E F G H
1 WEIGHT1 43,599 WEIGH2 62500 WEIGHT3 77000 WEIGHT4 66,500
2 DEDUCTION1 15,000 DEDUCTION1 15,000 TEMP 0 DEDUCTION2 11,005
3 RESULT 58,599 RESULT-1 77,500 RESULT-2 77,000 RESULT-3 77,505
4 RESULT SUBSTRACT 0 0 0
5 REQUIRED VALUE 77,500 77,000 77,505
Note: 1- RESULT (58599) IS TO BE DEDUCTION EITHER FROM D4 OR F4 OR H4 WHICHEVER IS MOST
LEAST CELL AMONG RESULT-1 OR RESULT-2 OR RESULT 3.
2-HENCE, RESULT VALUE $B$3 IS TO BE PRESENTED ON CELL EITHER D4 OR F4 OR H4 WHICHER IS
MOST LEAST VALUE
3-FORMULA =IF(E8<H8,$B$9,IF(E8<J8,$B$9,IF(H8<J8,$B$9,IF(H8<E8,$B$9,IF(J8<H8,$B$9))))))
CREATED ON CELL D4,F4 & H4 DID NOT WORK.
PLS FOR YOUR HELP.
THANK YOU
@R
Why not ask the question in the Chandoo.org Forums
https://chandoo.org/forum/
You can attach a file there