1 - Introduction ~5 mins
Welcome
A full sheet of project numbers is useful, but a filtered view is sharper. Filters hide the rows you do not need so you can answer one clear question, such as which items cost over €20 or which tasks are still open, without deleting a single cell.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Turn on filters and filter by value or numeric range
- Distinguish sort from filter
- Answer one project question with a filtered view and screenshot
Warm-up
Today's practice sheet will hold six stock items with costs and status labels. Two questions the whole class can answer with a filter:
- "Which items still have Status Open?"
- "Which costs are greater than €20?"
If you already keep live data in {{code:09_specialism/sm3/}} (Work Experience hours, enterprise stock, or a Practical Achievement Task log), keep one of your own questions ready for the portfolio build. If your project sheet is thin or missing, you will use a short fallback table later — you will still finish a filtered screenshot.
2 - Key Concepts ~5 mins
Two ideas to lock first: a filter hides rows that do not match your rule (data stays in the sheet). A sort reorders rows; every row stays visible. Mixing them up confuses a reader, and a panicked classmate who thinks rows were deleted.
Use the table as a quick reference while you work. Colour and multi-column filters are extension skills today; value and numeric filters are the core path.
| Concept | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Filter — temporarily hides rows that do not match your rule, without deleting them | You can answer one project question quickly and restore the full list when you clear the filter | Show only stock items priced over €20 for a Centra stocktake before you order more |
| Sort — reorders rows by a chosen column; every row stays visible | Sorting changes order; filtering changes which rows you see | Sort Work Experience hours A to Z by date, versus filter to show only the placement site "Intreo" |
| Filter by value — pick specific text or numbers from the column checklist | Fast way to keep named categories (Open, Done, Pending) without writing a formula | Keep only rows where Status is "Open" on a task list for a community club event |
| Filter by condition or numeric range — rules such as greater than, between, or contains | Answers money and count questions without scanning every row by eye | Number filters: greater than 20 on a Cost (€) column for an enterprise pitch budget |
| Filter by colour (extension) — show rows that share a cell fill you already applied | Useful when you highlighted priority rows earlier; treat as stretch today | Show only amber-highlighted rows that still need a supervisor check |
Worked example snapshot
Imagine a small enterprise sheet for a side hustle selling custom phone cases. After a filter for Cost (€) greater than 20, only the higher-cost rows remain visible:
| Item | Cost (€) | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Hard case pack | 24.50 | Open |
| Premium print kit | 31.00 | Ordered |
| Display stand | 45.00 | Open |
The cheaper rows are hidden, not deleted. Look at the row numbers on the left of a real sheet: if you see gaps (for example 1, 2, 5, 7), those missing numbers are your proof the rows are still there. Clear the filter and the full list returns.
3 - Step-by-step Task ~18 mins
Build a short sample sheet, turn on filters, then apply a value filter and a numeric greater-than filter. Finish with a named screenshot of a filtered view. That core path is what everyone completes.
Core path (everyone): create the sheet → enter data → filter by Status value → clear → filter Cost greater than 20 → clear → screenshot.
Extension if time: fill colour on High priority cells, filter by color, then stack Status Open with Cost greater than 20.
Your teacher will demo the first filter on the classroom screen; then follow the platform steps on your own machine.
4 - Common Issues ~2 mins
Common Issues
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| I cannot see filter arrows on the headings | Click any cell inside your data table, then turn the filter on again from the Data menu. Make sure row 1 holds headings and there is no fully blank row splitting the table. |
| Only one column sorted and the other columns look wrong | That is a sort on a single column, not a filter. Clear the sort if needed, select the full data range including headings, and use the filter arrows instead when you want to hide rows. |
| My filter by color list is empty | Apply a real fill colour to at least one data cell first, then reopen the column filter. Colour rules only list fills that already exist in that column. On Excel for the web the colour filter may be missing — use value or number filters instead. |
| Rows vanished and I think I deleted them | Clear the filter on each column (or turn the filter off). Hidden rows return; deleted rows do not. Check the row numbers on the left: gaps mean rows are hidden. |
Board tip: rows vanished = check row number gaps before you panic.
5 - Sort or Filter Check ~4 mins
Sort or filter?
Complete the matching activity Sort or filter? for this lesson. For each classroom situation, decide whether Sort or Filter is the right tool. Discuss any you are unsure about with a partner before you lock answers.
This quick check locks the main idea: sort reorders every row; filter hides rows that do not match a rule.
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