XL: Too Many Blank Cells Are Returned When Using AutoFilter

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
• Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a
• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

When you use the AutoFilter command to view the number of blank cells in a column of data, the number of blank cells that are returned may be different from what you expect.

CAUSE

This problem may occur if you select an area other than your list when you apply the AutoFilter. For example, the problem occurs if you select an entire column and then apply the AutoFilter.

WORKAROUND

To work around this behavior, select only the range that includes the list, and then apply the AutoFilter. To select the range, follow these steps:

1. Press F5.

2. In the Reference box, type the cell address of the top left corner of the range, followed by a colon and the cell address of the bottom right corner of the range.

   For example, if the range is from cell A1 through cell E100, type "A1:E100" (without the quotation marks).

3. Click OK.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

REFERENCES

For more information about filtering data, click the Index tab in Microsoft Excel Help, type the following text

   filters, overview