Ultimate Guide to Extracting Data Based on Criteria in Excel & Google Sheets

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Pulling Data from Another Sheet in Google Sheets and Excel
   • 2.1. Creating a Data Pool Sheet
   • 2.2. Using the FILTER function
   • 2.3. Filtering Data Based on Criteria
3. Pulling Data into Another Sheet in Excel
   • 3.1. Using the same formula in Excel
   • 3.2. Copying and Pasting Headers
4. Creating a Dropdown for Filtering Data
   • 4.1. Creating a Dropdown in Google Sheets
   • 4.2. Creating a Dropdown in Excel
5. Connecting the Dropdown to the Data Filtering Formula
   • 5.1. Linking the Dropdown Cell to the Formula in Google Sheets
   • 5.2. Linking the Dropdown Cell to the Formula in Excel
6. Dealing with Blank Cells in Excel
   • 6.1. Handling Blanks in Google Sheets
   • 6.2. Handling Blanks in Excel
7. Adding Additional Conditions to the Filtering Formula
   • 7.1. Adding Conditions in Google Sheets
   • 7.2. Adding Conditions in Excel
8. Conclusion

Pulling Data from Another Sheet based on Criteria in Google Sheets and Excel

In this article, we will explore how to pull data from another sheet based on a specific criterion in both Google Sheets and Excel. We will start by creating a separate sheet to serve as our data pool and then use the FILTER function to filter the data based on the desired criteria.

2. Pulling Data from Another Sheet in Google Sheets and Excel

2.1. Creating a Data Pool Sheet

To begin, we need to Create a new worksheet that will function as our data pool. This sheet will contain the filtered data based on the specified criteria. We will name this sheet "Data Pool" for ease of reference.

2.2. Using the FILTER function

To filter the data from another sheet, we will utilize the FILTER function in both Google Sheets and Excel. In Google Sheets, the formula is as follows:

=FILTER(Data!A2:K12, Data!C2:C12="Female")

Here, "Data" refers to the sheet containing the original data. We specify the range (A2:K12) and the criteria to filter by, in this case, the value "Female" in the gender column (column C).

2.3. Filtering Data Based on Criteria

In Excel, the formula is the same as in Google Sheets:

=FILTER(Data!A2:K12, Data!C2:C12="Female")

Similarly, "Data" represents the sheet with the original data, and the range (A2:K12) and criteria ("Female" in column C) remain the same.

3. Pulling Data into Another Sheet in Excel

To pull the filtered data into another sheet in Excel, we can simply copy the formula we used in Google Sheets and paste it into a new sheet. The results should be the same.

3.1. Using the same formula in Excel

Copy the formula from the Data Pool sheet in Google Sheets and paste it into a new sheet in Excel.

3.2. Copying and Pasting Headers

To ensure consistency, copy and paste the headers from the original data sheet to the Data Pull sheet in Excel.

4. Creating a Dropdown for Filtering Data

To enhance the functionality of our data filtering, we can create a dropdown menu that allows users to choose between filtering by male or female.

4.1. Creating a Dropdown in Google Sheets

In Google Sheets, we can create a dropdown menu by using data validation. Simply select the cell where You want the dropdown to appear, go to the Data tab, and choose Data Validation. In the criteria, select "List of items" and enter the values "Female" and "Male" (without quotes) separated by a comma.

4.2. Creating a Dropdown in Excel

In Excel, the process of creating a dropdown is similar to that in Google Sheets. Select the desired cell, go to the Data tab, and choose Data Validation. In the criteria, select "List" and enter the values "Female" and "Male" (without quotes), separated by a comma.

5. Connecting the Dropdown to the Data Filtering Formula

Now that we have created the dropdown, we can link it to the data filtering formula to dynamically filter the data based on the selected option.

5.1. Linking the Dropdown Cell to the Formula in Google Sheets

In the cell where the formula is located, remove the hardcoded criterion, such as "Female" in quotes. Instead, link the cell containing the dropdown value to the formula. This way, the formula will update automatically based on the selected option.

5.2. Linking the Dropdown Cell to the Formula in Excel

Similarly, in Excel, replace the hardcoded criterion with a cell reference to the cell containing the dropdown value. By doing this, the formula will adjust according to the selected option.

6. Dealing with Blank Cells in Excel

An issue that may arise in Excel is the inclusion of blank cells in the filtered results, resulting in unexpected behavior. We can overcome this problem by modifying the formula slightly.

6.1. Handling Blanks in Google Sheets

In Google Sheets, the FILTER function automatically ignores blank cells. Therefore, no modification is needed to handle blanks.

6.2. Handling Blanks in Excel

In Excel, we need to add an IF statement to our formula to exclude blank cells from the filtered results. By wrapping the formula in an IF statement, we can check if the cell is blank. If it is blank, we return a blank value; otherwise, we return the filtered data.

7. Adding Additional Conditions to the Filtering Formula

To further refine our data filtering, we can add additional conditions to the formula, allowing for more complex filtering operations.

7.1. Adding Conditions in Google Sheets

In Google Sheets, we can simply add more criteria to the FILTER function by separating them with a comma. Each condition will act as an "AND" condition, meaning all the specified criteria must be met for a row to be included in the filtered results.

7.2. Adding Conditions in Excel

Similarly, in Excel, we can add multiple conditions to the formula by using additional arguments within the FILTER function. Each condition will act as an "AND" condition, just like in Google Sheets.

8. Conclusion

In this article, we have learned how to pull data from another sheet based on a specific criterion in both Google Sheets and Excel. By utilizing the FILTER function and creating a dropdown menu for filtering, we can efficiently extract the desired data. Additionally, we discussed how to handle blank cells and add additional conditions to the filtering formula. With these techniques, you can easily analyze and manipulate data from different sheets in your spreadsheets. Happy filtering!