If you are wondering how to filter in SharePoint, the starting point is to have a clear understanding about lists. There is no doubt that lists play a very important role when it comes to filtering in sharepoint. However, it also should be understood that there cannot be any lists without views and both of them are closely interlinked.
Why It’s So Important
Lists are considered important because when you are in the process of setting up a new view in a SharePoint list, the lists indeed have a big role to play as far as the numbers of display items are concerned. They also have a very big role to play when you are deciding as to which columns you should be showing. Sorting order can also be much better when the lists are clear to you. While all of this is important when it comes to actual setting up of filters, it is quite common for people to be often in a state of confusion and indecision. Let us try and find out how this can be solved.
How To Filter In SharePoint
Why The Need For Filtering
SharePoint certainly handles thousands of records all of which may not be required for particular information. Hence there is a need to filter only those records and then create a report out of it which makes meaningful reading. Here are a few simple steps that might be required to be gone through to enable the filtering of database to suit specific records.
The Nuts & Bolts Of Filtering
First and foremost you have to add a filter or if there is a filter you may have to add an additional clause to it. You should also write the correct query to group all clauses in a single filter. Once this has been done and when the query is run you could find the filter working to your satisfaction. If it is then you have addressed the problem. Otherwise you may have to modify a particular clause or may even have to delete a particular clause that is creating the problem. Though very rare, it might also require you to delete the entire filter if it is not giving you the desired result.
Here are a few steps that could help create a filter:
- Get in the page that has the data view that you need to filter.
- On right clicking on the data view you can get hold of some common tasks available in the shortcut menu.
- You can choose filter from the short cut menus.
- You can add the new clause in the filter dialog box.
- You can select the field that you want to use.
- You can choose the operators by using the comparison box.
- Using the value box you can set the values you want. The value can be user defined depending on the type of reports that are required.
- Using the advanced option you will be able to view the data that is required by you using the above filtering process.
Once you click on the OK button you are done with it and have found the right answer to the question how to filter in Sharepoint.
