How to add a slicer to a table

In this video, we'll look at how to add one or more slicers to an Excel table.

All Excel Tables come with a powerful filter enabled by default, which makes it easy to filter by one or more fields.

But you can also add a slicer to a table.

Slicers provide the same function as filters. They let you selectively display rows based on field values.

However, instead of drop-down menus, slicers provide large, friendly buttons that are always visible.

This table holds basic employee information.

To add a slicer that filters by department, click the Insert Slicer button on the Design tab of the Table Tools menu.

Then check Department and click OK.

Excel will insert a slicer that contains one button for each value in the department field.

Slicers buttons work just like filters. In fact, filters and slicers work together and stay in sync.

Notice, as I click through various departments, Excel filters the table.

The filter icon in the Department column changes to indicate an active filter, and, if I click the filter, you can see that the filter is synced up with the slicer.

Likewise, if I make a selection in the filter, the slicer responds accordingly.

To enable more than one button at a time, hold down the Control key as you click.

You can also use the Shift key to enable all buttons between two buttons.

Again, the Filter is updated to match the slicer.

To clear a filter that's been set by a slicer, click the clear filter icon in the upper right.

You can add more than one slicer to a table.

For example, to add a slicer for Group, make sure the cursor is inside the table and click the Insert Slicer button again.

Once you have more than one slicer, they work together.

Notice as I click through Departments that the Group slicer updates to show which groups appear inside a given department.

Likewise, If I clear the Departments slicer and click through groups, you can see which departments appear in each group.

Notice if I don't clear a slicer, then filter with another slicer, the two slicers both filter the data.

In this case, since Group C is still active, the department slicer is showing me only rows where the group is C.

To clear all slicer filters, you can use the Clear icon on each slicer. Or you can use the Clear button on the ribbon.

To remove a slicer from your worksheet, just select the slicer and delete.