How do I filter multiple values

Question

I have a large data base. In column A I have a group number. These group numbers repeat multiple times though through out the sheet and within each group there is deferent data. Example: group 8 repeats multiple times in column A while in column B, C, D.... contains different information within group 8.

I have to filter for several different groups at a time. How do I filter column A for several groups (group 3, group 7, group 12) and still see the data thats in column B, C, D... without having to filter one at a time.

Answer 1

I assume that you have turned on AutoFilter (Sort & Filter > Filter).

Click the Filter arrow in the header cell of column A (probably cell A1).

Clear the check box (Select All).

Select the check boxes for the groups that you want to show (for example 3, 7 and 12).

Click OK.

Answer 2

Hi,

In cell H2, enter this formula

=FILTER(A2:D11,COUNTIF(F2:F3,A2:A11))

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Hi Q,  

Welcome to the Q&A Community 

I’m here to assist your problem. 

Base on your description, I will suggest you. I will provide additional opinions based on the answers from the 2 MVPs above, so that I can suggest to you the best way to respond:

1/ Basic Filter: 

Select your data range: Click and drag to highlight the entire dataset, including headers (e.g., from cell A1 to the last cell in your columns). If your data is already formatted as a table (via Insert > Table), this step is optional as tables have filters enabled by default. 

 

Enable filters: Go to the Data tab in the ribbon and click Filter. This adds dropdown arrows to each column header. 

 

Apply the multi-group filter:  

• Click the dropdown arrow in the header of column A. 
• In the filter menu, uncheck the box next to (Select All) to deselect everything. 
• Scroll through the list (or use the search box at the top of the menu to type and find specific groups quickly). 
• Check the boxes next to the groups you want, such as "3", "7", and "12". 
• Click OK. 

Noted: 

• If you have thousands of unique groups and need to select many, consider using a Custom Filter (in the same dropdown, under Text Filters > Custom Filter) with an "or" condition, like "equals 3" or "equals 7" or "equals 12". However, the checkbox method is usually faster for a handful. 
• To clear the filter and see everything again, click the dropdown in column A and select Clear Filter from "Column A", or go to Data > Clear. 
• If your groups are numeric, ensure column A is formatted as numbers (not text) to avoid filtering issues. 

For more advanced filtering (e.g., if groups are text or you need conditions), use Filter by condition in the dropdown and set up "Custom formula is" with something like =OR(A2=3, A2=7, A2=12) (adjust for your actual starting row). 

2/ Using the FILTER Function (Dynamic Filtering): 

The FILTER function dynamically extracts data that meets specific criteria. It’s available in Excel 365 and Excel 2021: 

=FILTER(array, include, [if_empty]) 

• array: The range of data to filter. 
• include: The condition(s) to apply. 
• [if_empty]: Optional value to return if no data matches. 

Example: 

=FILTER(A2:C10, B2:B10>1000, "No results") 

• This filters rows where column B values are greater than 1000. 

Filtering is a powerful tool to manage and analyze data efficiently. Let me know if you'd like more examples or help with a specific scenario! 

You can refer to: FILTER function - Microsoft Support 

We appreciate your kind patience and understanding that sometimes the initial response may not immediately resolve the issue or there may be some misunderstandings about your scenario, but we would love to hear updates from you and find out further suggestions. 

Thank you for your kindness and understanding. If you need anything else, please feel free to contact me.  

---

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment" 

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.