Forum Discussion
Unwanted Drop Down
I have a Worksheet that currently has 111 columns and 3152 rows. There are filters across the top row. When I use the filter in cell A1 and type the item into the search box that item does come to ...
The issue you're experiencing with the extra blank drop-down arrow in Excel filters can be frustrating. This usually happens when there's some leftover formatting or data validation applied to the filtered column. To resolve this problem, you can try the following steps:
Clear Data Validation:
Select the entire column where you are experiencing this issue (Column A).
Go to the "Data" tab.
Click "Data Validation" and select "Data Validation" from the dropdown.
In the "Data Validation" dialog box, switch to the "Settings" tab.
Check if there is any data validation applied to this column. If so, clear it.
Remove Filter and Reapply:
Remove the filter in Column A.
Clear the filter in any other column where you see the extra drop-down arrow.
Reapply the filter in Column A.
Clear All Filters:
If the issue persists, you can try clearing all filters in your worksheet.
Go to the "Data" tab, and click "Clear" in the "Sort & Filter" group.
Choose "Clear" to remove all filters.
Check for Hidden Rows:
Sometimes, hidden rows can cause issues with filters. Unhide any hidden rows within your data.
Check Conditional Formatting:
Check for any conditional formatting rules applied to the filtered column. They can sometimes affect the filter functionality. Remove any unnecessary formatting.
Review Custom Views:
Check if there are any custom views applied to your worksheet. Custom views can sometimes conflict with filtering. You can access custom views through the "View" tab and then "Custom Views."
Workbook Analysis Tools:
In some cases, Excel's built-in Workbook Analysis tool can help identify issues with the workbook. Go to the "File" tab, select "Options," then go to "Add-Ins." At the bottom of the window, select "COM Add-ins" from the dropdown and click "Go..." Enable "Inquire" and "Workbook Analysis."
Excel Repair:
If none of the above steps work, it's possible that the Excel workbook itself might have some corruption. In this case, you can try opening the file on a different computer or repairing the Excel installation.
VBA Code Check:
If there is any VBA code in the workbook, check if it is causing any unexpected behavior.
After trying these steps, you should be able to resolve the issue with the extra drop-down arrow in your Excel filters.
Clear Data Validation:
Select the entire column where you are experiencing this issue (Column A).
Go to the "Data" tab.
Click "Data Validation" and select "Data Validation" from the dropdown.
In the "Data Validation" dialog box, switch to the "Settings" tab.
Check if there is any data validation applied to this column. If so, clear it.
Remove Filter and Reapply:
Remove the filter in Column A.
Clear the filter in any other column where you see the extra drop-down arrow.
Reapply the filter in Column A.
Clear All Filters:
If the issue persists, you can try clearing all filters in your worksheet.
Go to the "Data" tab, and click "Clear" in the "Sort & Filter" group.
Choose "Clear" to remove all filters.
Check for Hidden Rows:
Sometimes, hidden rows can cause issues with filters. Unhide any hidden rows within your data.
Check Conditional Formatting:
Check for any conditional formatting rules applied to the filtered column. They can sometimes affect the filter functionality. Remove any unnecessary formatting.
Review Custom Views:
Check if there are any custom views applied to your worksheet. Custom views can sometimes conflict with filtering. You can access custom views through the "View" tab and then "Custom Views."
Workbook Analysis Tools:
In some cases, Excel's built-in Workbook Analysis tool can help identify issues with the workbook. Go to the "File" tab, select "Options," then go to "Add-Ins." At the bottom of the window, select "COM Add-ins" from the dropdown and click "Go..." Enable "Inquire" and "Workbook Analysis."
Excel Repair:
If none of the above steps work, it's possible that the Excel workbook itself might have some corruption. In this case, you can try opening the file on a different computer or repairing the Excel installation.
VBA Code Check:
If there is any VBA code in the workbook, check if it is causing any unexpected behavior.
After trying these steps, you should be able to resolve the issue with the extra drop-down arrow in your Excel filters.
- Thank you for your quick reply.
I tried each one of these suggestions and had no luck. I also found that when I filtered so that I had 9 units returned that four of these filtered items had the additional unnecessary drop down. One at the bottom of the list and three more grouped together third from the top.
I've also removed the filter then reapplied the filter to everything but Column A. Still have the problem.- Can you share the link to view the file ?
- As you can see below I cannot share the data.
This issue continues and grows. I think somehow it may have something to do with the fact that the worksheet has many cell with 'Notes'. When I open the Selection pane there is a few hundred "Comment #####" listed. When I Hide All the problem goes away, but it comes back within minutes.
Any more ideas?
