Sort & filter your data

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You can sort data in alphabetical and numerical order, or use filters to hide data you don't want to see.

Sort and Filter Your Data

Learn more about this Coursera course. To get an example spreadsheet and follow along with the video, click “Make a Copy” below.

Make a copy

Sort data in alphabetical or numerical order

  1. On your computer, open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
  2. Highlight the group of cells you'd like to sort.
  3.  If your sheet includes a header row, freeze the first row.
  4. Click Data and then Sort range.
  5. If your columns have titles, click Data has header row.
  6. Select the column you'd like to be sorted first and choose a sorting order. 
    • To add another sorting rule, click Add another sort column.
  7. Click Sort. 

Sort an entire sheet

  1. On your computer, open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
  2. At the top, right-click the letter of the column you want to sort by. 
  3. Click Sort sheet by A to Z or Sort sheet Z to A.

Sort by color

  1. On your computer, open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
  2. Select a range of cells.
  3. Click Data and then Create a filter.
  4. To see filter options, go to the top of the range and click Filter Filter.
    • Sort by color: Choose which text or fill color to filter or sort by. Cells with the color you choose to sort by will move to the top of the range. You can sort by conditional formatting colors, but not alternating colors. 
  5. To turn the filter off, click Data and then Turn off filter.

Filter your data

Important: When you add a filter, anyone with access to your spreadsheet will see the filter too. Anyone with permission to edit your spreadsheet will be able to change the filter.

  1. On your computer, open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
  2. Select a range of cells.
  3. Click Data and then Create a filter.
  4. To see filter options, go to the top of the range and click Filter Filter.
    • Filter by condition: Choose conditions or write your own. 
    • Filter by values: To hide data points, uncheck the box next to the data point and click OK. 
    • Search: Search for data points by typing in the search box. 
    • Filter by color: Choose which text or fill color to filter by. You can filter by conditional formatting colors, but not alternating colors. 
  5. To turn the filter off, click Data and then Turn off filter.

Create, save, or delete a filter view

Important: If you only have permission to view a spreadsheet, you can create a temporary filter view that only you can use. Your filter view won’t be saved.

  1. On your computer, open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
  2. Click Data and then Filter views and then Create new filter view.
  3. Sort and filter the data.
  4. To close your filter view, at the top right, click Close Close.
  5. Your filter view is saved automatically.

To delete or duplicate a filter view, in top right, click Options Settings and then Delete or Duplicate.

See an existing filter view

  1. On your computer, open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
  2. Click Data and then Filter views.
  3. Select a filter view.
  4. Your filter will be applied to the spreadsheet.
  5. To close your filter view, in the top right, click Close Close.

Save a filter as a filter view

  1. On your computer, open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
  2. Apply a filter.
  3. Click Data and then Filter views and then Save as filter view.

Rename a filter view

  1. On your computer, open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
  2. Click Data and then Filter views.
  3. Select a filter view.
  4. Click the filter view name in the top left of the black bar and type the new name.
  5. Press Enter.

Learn more about filters & filter views

Filters and filter views help you analyze a set of data in a spreadsheet. 

You can use filters to: 

  • Show a specific filter when people open your spreadsheet.
  • Sort your data after using a filter. 

You can use filter views to:

  • Save multiple filters.
  • Name your filter.
  • Let multiple people see different filter views at the same time. 
  • Share different filters with people.
  • Make a copy or create another view with similar rules.
  • Filter or sort a spreadsheet you don't have edit access to. In this case, a temporary filter view will be created.

 

 

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