XL: Unexpected Results When Filtering Text Strings

ID: Q134941

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a
Microsoft Excel for Windows NT, version 5.0
Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel, when you extract data from a list, you may receive unexpected results if your list contains numbers that are entered as text strings (by preceding the number with an apostrophe).

Numbers that are formatted as text strings and contain leading zeros may be extracted; this may not be the result you want. For example, if your criteria is '012, the numbers '12, '012, 12, and '0012 all meet the criteria.

CAUSE

If the criteria is entered as a text string and not as part of the computed criteria, Microsoft Excel extracts all records that contain the text string at the beginning of the record even if that record is a numeric value.

RESOLUTION

To filter records in a list when the list contains an exact match to a numeric value entered as a text string, use computed criteria. For example, if you are working with data that resembles the following

   A1:  Number     B1:          C1:  Number
   A2:  '12        B2:          C2:  '012
   A3:  '012       B3:          C3:
   A4:  12         B4:          C4:
   A5:  '0012      B5:          C5:

type the following information into cells C1:C2 of the Criteria Range in the example above:

   C1: ExactNumber
   C2: =A2="012"

NOTE: The criteria name in the first row of the criteria range (cell C1) can be any name except the name of a database field; if you use the name of a database field, Microsoft Excel interprets the criteria as comparison criteria. You can also leave the cell blank.

REFERENCES

Excel 97

For more information about Advanced Filter criteria including computed criteria, click the Office Assistant, type "advanced filter criteria," click Search, and then click to view "Examples of advanced filter criteria."

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If Microsoft Help is not installed on your computer, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q120802
   TITLE     : Office: How to Add/Remove a Single Office
               Program or Component

Excel 5.0

For more information about computed criteria, click the Search button in Help, and type:

   computed criteria

Click Show Topics, select the topic, and click Go To.

Additional query words: 5.00 5.00a 5.00c 7.00 8.00 97 XL97 98 XL98 filter autofilter database

Keywords          : kbdta xllist 
Version           : WINDOWS:5.0,5.0c,7.0,97; MACINTOSH:5.0,5.0a
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: January 8, 1999