7 Simple Steps To Filter By Strikethrough In Excel

When working in Excel, there are times you may want to emphasize or filter out certain entries that you've marked with a strikethrough. Strikethrough is often used to indicate completed tasks or data that should be disregarded for analysis, but filtering these entries can be a bit tricky. Here’s a complete guide on how to effectively filter by strikethrough in Excel, complete with helpful tips, common pitfalls, and advanced techniques to elevate your Excel skills! 💡

Understanding Strikethrough in Excel

Strikethrough is a text format feature in Excel that draws a line through the middle of selected text. This visual cue serves a purpose, helping users quickly identify completed or irrelevant items in their datasets. Unfortunately, Excel does not offer a direct filter option for strikethrough, requiring a workaround to isolate these entries.

7 Simple Steps to Filter by Strikethrough in Excel

Let’s delve into how you can filter out or isolate cells containing strikethrough text. This will involve a combination of Excel functions and tools.

1. Open Your Excel Workbook Begin by opening the Excel workbook that contains the data you want to analyze. Make sure you save your file before making any modifications to avoid losing important information.

2. Identify Your Data Range Locate the range of cells that includes the data you want to filter. It’s essential to know the specific area you're working with to ensure the correct application of the following steps.

3. Create a Helper Column You will need to insert a new column next to your data. Label this new column as “Strikethrough” or “Completed” as it will be used to identify which cells contain strikethrough formatting.

   • To insert a new column, right-click on the column header where you want to add the new column and select “Insert.”

4. Use a VBA Macro to Identify Strikethrough Text Since Excel does not have a built-in function to detect strikethrough formatting, you will have to use a simple VBA macro. Here’s how:

   • Press ALT + F11 to open the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) editor.

   • Click Insert > Module and paste the following code:

     Function IsStrikethrough(rng As Range) As Boolean
         IsStrikethrough = rng.Font.Strikethrough
     End Function
     

   • Close the VBA editor by clicking the X button.

5. Apply the VBA Function in Your Helper Column Go back to your helper column and use the formula =IsStrikethrough(A1) where A1 is the cell you want to check for strikethrough. Drag down the fill handle to apply this formula to all relevant cells in your data range. This function will return TRUE for strikethrough cells and FALSE for the rest.

   Cell	Data	Strikethrough
   A1	Task 1	FALSE
   A2	Task 2	TRUE
   A3	Task 3	FALSE
   A4	Task 4	TRUE

6. Filter Your Data Now that you have the helper column populated with TRUE or FALSE, you can apply a filter to show only strikethrough entries:

   • Select your entire data range (including the helper column).
   • Go to the "Data" tab and click on “Filter.”
   • Click the drop-down arrow in your helper column header and select TRUE to display only the items with strikethrough formatting.

7. Review Your Filtered Data At this point, you should see a filtered list that displays only the items marked with strikethrough in your original dataset. Feel free to analyze, copy, or modify this filtered list as needed.

<p class="pro-note">💡 Pro Tip: You can run the macro again if your data changes to re-evaluate the strikethroughs!</p>

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping VBA Setup: One of the most common pitfalls is forgetting to set up the VBA macro, which means your helper column will not function correctly.
• Incorrect Formula Reference: Ensure that the cell reference in the formula corresponds accurately to your data. If you have multiple rows, adjust the cell reference accordingly.
• Not Enabling Macros: Make sure your Excel settings allow macros to run; otherwise, the function won’t work as intended.

Troubleshooting Tips

If you run into issues when using the macro or the filtering process, consider the following troubleshooting steps:

• Re-check VBA Code: Ensure that you’ve copied the VBA code correctly without any errors or typos.
• Column Format: Make sure that the helper column is formatted as “General” so the TRUE/FALSE values are displayed correctly.
• Data Update: If your strikethroughs change, re-run the macro to refresh the helper column data.

<div class="faq-section"> <div class="faq-container"> <h2>Frequently Asked Questions</h2> <div class="faq-item"> <div class="faq-question"> <h3>How do I apply strikethrough formatting?</h3> <span class="faq-toggle">+</span> </div> <div class="faq-answer"> <p>You can apply strikethrough by selecting the text or cell, then right-clicking and choosing "Format Cells." Go to the "Font" tab and check the "Strikethrough" option, or simply use the shortcut CTRL + 5.</p> </div> </div> <div class="faq-item"> <div class="faq-question"> <h3>Can I use this method on all versions of Excel?</h3> <span class="faq-toggle">+</span> </div> <div class="faq-answer"> <p>Yes, this method works on most versions of Excel that support VBA, including Excel 2010 and later.</p> </div> </div> <div class="faq-item"> <div class="faq-question"> <h3>What if the VBA macro doesn't work?</h3> <span class="faq-toggle">+</span> </div> <div class="faq-answer"> <p>Check that macros are enabled in your Excel settings and that the VBA code is correctly implemented without syntax errors.</p> </div> </div> <div class="faq-item"> <div class="faq-question"> <h3>Can I filter by other formatting styles?</h3> <span class="faq-toggle">+</span> </div> <div class="faq-answer"> <p>Yes, you can create similar functions for other formatting styles, but it will require additional VBA code tailored to those specific formats.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div>

To recap, filtering by strikethrough in Excel requires some additional steps compared to standard filtering methods. Utilizing a helper column with a VBA function can streamline this process and help you manage your data effectively. Don’t hesitate to practice these techniques in your own Excel files, and explore more advanced tutorials to further enhance your skills!

<p class="pro-note">✨ Pro Tip: Experiment with other VBA functions to create personalized filtering methods that cater to your specific data needs.</p>