Remove or hide individual filters from individual columns

Copper Contributor

Why is it so hard to allow a developer to hide or disable filtering on some columns in a table? The arrow is ugly, when real estate is low and column widths are just wide enough to fit column names (headings) in the cell, the arrow obscures these headings.

Some data should never be filtered., the results would be pointless. 

Is there a way to simply disable a filter ( I would use the word remove but most numb nuts on the internet have used that word to describe clearing a filter to make finding a real answer so much harder) on a specific column?

I have dress size information for cast of a play done by children and adults. I would like to be able to sort and filter by name, or by age group, by the scene they are in, but sorting by their Arm Length measurement is pointless. Why can a developer not simply disable filtering on columns that should not be filtered? Or have I missed something?

I need the data in these columns to filter but I don't want a control to filter by that column's data.

I need this at a developer level, not a user level, it is too hard to teach a user to manually apply a filter if they are not Excel savvy.

3 Replies

@awecomms 

 

If I understand what you're asking, it sounds like a perfect application of the relatively new SORT and FILTER functions. Have your basic table uncluttered by those nasty little arrows, and create a separate sheet where you do your FILTERing and SORTing and display of what you, the developer, want to see.

 

Here's a YouTube video that was created by Microsoft back when these dynamic array functions were introduced. You will need Excel 2021 or newer.

@mathetes, that video is a must watch for anyone who works with Excel. I have been using these formulas for some time now but while I knew how to use them I did not fully understand the logic and their implications.
Thank you for that.
While what you proposed is a work around, it involves the addition of yet another worksheet, requires a user to change worksheets to update data they notice is imperfect, and more vba to manage accessibility to the relevant sheets, it just boggles my mind why MS insist on adding advanced features that very few people will ever use while ignoring glaringly frustrating functionality. Just search for "remove specific filters" and you will find so many vultures who have "reassigned" the word "Remove" to imply "Clear" to grab traffic. Chat rooms are full of people needing this feature.
I have been writing in Excel and VBA for over 20 years and I love some of the evolving features but trying to produce software to support small business that is commercially stable and functional is getting harder.
I take, from your reply, that there is no documented way to do this?
Don't misunderstand I am a huge fan but Excel does so much more that crunch numbers, its capacity to develop whole of business software is incredible but it is never something that you could shrinkwrap and package for a client, it is always a "best I can do" result.
I keep being advised to create a request, it is getting progressively harder to find a launching point. I chatted with MS support 2 days ago and told them about a serious, duplicatable bug, that when triggered destroys data, they rolled my workbook back to a previous version prior the the trigger point. I then showed them how it would break again, their advice was don't do that. Don't refer to a sheet by it's ID? Are they serious?
I cannot imagine how many more people would try developing with Excel if it was more predictable I know my blood pressure would be a lot lower.
Thanks for your suggestion, REALLY appreciated that video.

@awecomms 

 

I’m glad that video was both new and helpful. You’re clearly a more advanced user (as a developer for others, presumably as your work); I’m just a retired user, developing for myself. I also enjoy answering questions when I can. And then, too, I learn from watching what other pros do in this forum. Have learned a LOT in the last two years.