Microsoft Excel
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Ron de Bruin
Excel Automation

Microsoft MVP Program

Use AutoFilter to filter and copy the results to a new worksheet

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Jan Karel Pieterse


Other examples and Example workbook

For more examples and a example workbook with the code below go to :
Copy records with the same value in a column to a new sheet or workbook

The range for the code example below looks like this
Column A : Header in A1 = Country, A2:A? = Country names
Column B : Header in B1 = Name, B2:B? = Names
Column C : Header in C1 = Gender, C2:C? = F or M
Column D : Header in D1 = Birthday, D2:D? = Dates

The macro will add a new worksheet to your workbook and will copy every record with Netherlands in the first column to this new sheet (the code will ask you for a sheet name).

Check if the information in these lines in the macro is correct before you run the macro

1: Set filter range on ActiveSheet: A1 is the top left cell of your filter range and the header of the first column, D is the last column in the filter range. You can also add the sheet name to the code like this :
Worksheets("Sheet1").Range("A1:D" & LastRow(Worksheets("Sheet1")))
No need that the sheet is active then when you run the macro when you use this.
Set My_Range = Range("A1:D" & LastRow(ActiveSheet))

2: Filter and set the filter field and the filter criteria:This example filter on the first column in the range (change the field if needed). In this case the range starts in A so Field 1 is column A, 2 = column B, ......
Use "<>Netherlands" as criteria if you want the opposite
My_Range.AutoFilter Field:=1, Criteria1:="=Netherlands"

3:Important:This macro call a function named LastRow
You find this function below the macro, copy this function together with the macro in a standard module

In the code you see four filter examples that you can use, we use example 1 in this macro and I commented the other 3 examples in the code.
1: Criteria in the code (=Netherlands, see the tips below the macro)
2: Filter on ActiveCell value
3: Filter on Range value (D1 in this example)
4: Filter on InputBox value

Sub Copy_With_AutoFilter1()
'Note: This macro use the function LastRow
    Dim My_Range As Range
    Dim CalcMode As Long
    Dim ViewMode As Long
    Dim FilterCriteria As String
    Dim CCount As Long
    Dim WSNew As Worksheet
    Dim sheetName As String
    Dim rng As Range

    'Set filter range on ActiveSheet: A1 is the top left cell of your filter range
    'and the header of the first column, D is the last column in the filter range.
    'You can also add the sheet name to the code like this :
    'Worksheets("Sheet1").Range("A1:D" & LastRow(Worksheets("Sheet1")))
    'No need that the sheet is active then when you run the macro when you use this.
    Set My_Range = Range("A1:D" & LastRow(ActiveSheet))
    My_Range.Parent.Select

    If ActiveWorkbook.ProtectStructure = True Or _
       My_Range.Parent.ProtectContents = True Then
        MsgBox "Sorry, not working when the workbook or worksheet is protected", _
               vbOKOnly, "Copy to new worksheet"
        Exit Sub
    End If

    'Change ScreenUpdating, Calculation, EnableEvents, ....
    With Application
        CalcMode = .Calculation
        .Calculation = xlCalculationManual
        .ScreenUpdating = False
        .EnableEvents = False
    End With
    ViewMode = ActiveWindow.View
    ActiveWindow.View = xlNormalView
    ActiveSheet.DisplayPageBreaks = False

    'Firstly, remove the AutoFilter
    My_Range.Parent.AutoFilterMode = False

    'Filter and set the filter field and the filter criteria :
    'This example filter on the first column in the range (change the field if needed)
    'In this case the range starts in A so Field 1 is column A, 2 = column B, ......
    'Use "<>Netherlands" as criteria if you want the opposite
    My_Range.AutoFilter Field:=1, Criteria1:="=Netherlands"

    'If you want to filter on a cell value you can use this, use "<>" for the opposite
    'This example uses the activecell value
    'My_Range.AutoFilter Field:=1, Criteria1:="=" & ActiveCell.Value

    'This will use the cell value from A2 as criteria
    'My_Range.AutoFilter Field:=1, Criteria1:="=" & Range("A2").Value

    ''If you want to filter on a Inputbox value use this
    'FilterCriteria = InputBox("What text do you want to filter on?", _
     '                              "Enter the filter item.")
    'My_Range.AutoFilter Field:=1, Criteria1:="=" & FilterCriteria

    'Check if there are not more then 8192 areas(limit of areas that Excel can copy)
    CCount = 0
    On Error Resume Next
    CCount = My_Range.Columns(1).SpecialCells(xlCellTypeVisible).Areas(1).Cells.Count
    On Error GoTo 0
    If CCount = 0 Then
        MsgBox "There are more than 8192 areas:" _
             & vbNewLine & "It is not possible to copy the visible data." _
             & vbNewLine & "Tip: Sort your data before you use this macro.", _
               vbOKOnly, "Copy to worksheet"
    Else
        'Add a new Worksheet
        Set WSNew = Worksheets.Add(After:=Sheets(ActiveSheet.Index))

        'Ask for the Worksheet name
        sheetName = InputBox("What is the name of the new worksheet?", _
                             "Name the New Sheet")

        On Error Resume Next
        WSNew.Name = sheetName
        If Err.Number > 0 Then
            MsgBox "Change the name of sheet : " & WSNew.Name & _
                 " manually after the macro is ready. The sheet name" & _
                 " you fill in already exists or you use characters" & _
                 " that are not allowed in a sheet name."
            Err.Clear
        End If
        On Error GoTo 0

        'Copy/paste the visible data to the new worksheet
        My_Range.Parent.AutoFilter.Range.Copy
        With WSNew.Range("A1")
            ' Paste:=8 will copy the columnwidth in Excel 2000 and higher
            ' Remove this line if you use Excel 97
            .PasteSpecial Paste:=8
            .PasteSpecial xlPasteValues
            .PasteSpecial xlPasteFormats
            Application.CutCopyMode = False
            .Select
        End With

        ' If you want to delete the rows that you copy, also use this
        ' With My_Range.Parent.AutoFilter.Range
        '     On Error Resume Next
        '     Set rng = .Offset(1, 0).Resize(.Rows.Count - 1, .Columns.Count) _
        '               .SpecialCells(xlCellTypeVisible)
        '     On Error GoTo 0
        '     If Not rng Is Nothing Then rng.EntireRow.Delete
        ' End With

    End If

    'Close AutoFilter
    My_Range.Parent.AutoFilterMode = False

    'Restore ScreenUpdating, Calculation, EnableEvents, ....
    My_Range.Parent.Select
    ActiveWindow.View = ViewMode
    If Not WSNew Is Nothing Then WSNew.Select
    With Application
        .ScreenUpdating = True
        .EnableEvents = True
        .Calculation = CalcMode
    End With

End Sub


Function LastRow(sh As Worksheet)
    On Error Resume Next
    LastRow = sh.Cells.Find(What:="*", _
                            After:=sh.Range("A1"), _
                            Lookat:=xlPart, _
                            LookIn:=xlValues, _
                            SearchOrder:=xlByRows, _
                            SearchDirection:=xlPrevious, _
                            MatchCase:=False).Row
    On Error GoTo 0
End Function

 

Tips :Filter on more then one field and wildcards

In the example I filter on the first column for the Netherlands
My_Range.AutoFilter Field:=1, Criteria1:="=Netherlands"

But you can also repeat the line for other fields.

This will filter all males from the Netherlands (column A and C in my example)
My_Range.AutoFilter Field:=1, Criteria1:="=Netherlands"
My_Range.AutoFilter Field:=3, Criteria1:="=M"


Use this to filter for all males from the Netherlands and the USA (column A and C in my example)
I use two criteria in field 1 (2 is the maximum for AutoFilter in one field)
My_Range.AutoFilter Field:=1, Criteria1:="=Netherlands", Operator:=xlOr, Criteria2:="=USA"
My_Range.AutoFilter Field:=3, Criteria1:="=M"


Use this to filter for all males born between 23 Feb 1947 and 7 May 1988 from the Netherlands and USA (column A, C and D in my example). I use two criteria in field 1 and 4 (2 is the maximum for AutoFilter)
My_Range.AutoFilter Field:=1, Criteria1:="=Netherlands", Operator:=xlOr, Criteria2:="=USA"
My_Range.AutoFilter Field:=3, Criteria1:="=F"
My_Range.AutoFilter Field:=4, Criteria1:=">=02/23/1947", _
Operator:=xlAnd, Criteria2:="<=05/07/1988"


Important: Use always the US mm/dd/yyyy format if you filter Dates.
Note: You only have the use the mm/dd/yyyy format in the code, no problem if the format in the worksheet is different.

Tip: Use wildcards

If you want to copy every record that has a value in the first column that starts with Netherlands you can use Criteria1:="=Netherlands*" Or if Netherlands is a part of the string Criteria1:="=*Netherlands*" You can also use the wildcard ? for one character.

 

How can I do it manually ?

Activate AutoFilter:

Select a cell in your data range and use Data>Filter>AutoFilter to activate AutoFilter. In Excel 2007-2013 click on the Data tab on the ribbon and then on Filter in the Sort & Filter group. Note: If there are empty rows or columns in your data range select the whole range first.
Tip: The shortcut for every English Excel version to turn on AutoFilter is Alt d f f

In each header cell a dropdown will appear next to your field name. Click on the dropdown in the Country field and choose Netherlands.

How to Copy the filter result to a new worksheet:

1) Select the whole data range or if you not have empty rows/columns in the range. You can use Ctrl * to select all data or use F5>Special>Current region>OK with one cell selected in the data range. If it copy all the data (there are a few reports about this) use also the shortcut Alt ; or F5>Special>Visible cells only>OK to select only the Visible cells.

2) Ctrl c in all Excel versions or:
Excel 97-2003: Edit>Copy
Excel 2007-2013: Home tab>Clipboard group>Copy

3) Shift F11 in all Excel versions to insert a worksheet or:
Excel 97-2003: Insert>Worksheet
Excel 2007-2013: Home tab>Cells group>Insert...Sheet or use the button next to the last tab

4) Ctrl v in all Excel versions or:
Excel 97-2003: Edit>Paste
Excel 2007-2013: Home tab>Clipboard group>Paste

5) Select the worksheet with the filter

6) Press Esc

7) Press Alt d f f in every English Excel version or:
Excel 97-2003: Data>Filter>AutoFilter to turn off AutoFilter.
Excel 2007-2013: Data tab>Sort & Filter>Filter