Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 2: How to Automatically Create a Structure
• Part 2 of 2: How to create a structure manually
• Tips
• Warnings

This article will show you how to group data in Excel to hide it. This is useful if you have a large table with a lot of data.Data can be grouped and structured in Windows and Mac OS X.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: How to Automatically Create a Structure

1. 1 Open an Excel spreadsheet. To do this, double click on the Excel file.
2. 2 Click on the tab Data. It's on the left side of the Tool Ribbon, which in turn is located at the top of the Excel window. The Data toolbar opens.
3. 3 Click the down arrow next to the option Group. You will find this option on the right side of the Data panel. A dropdown menu will open.
4. 4 Click on Creation of structure. It's in the Group drop-down menu. File: Group and Outline Excel Data Step 4 Version 2.webp
   • If the message "Cannot create document structure" appears, the formula that the data is subject to is not compatible with the structuring function. In this case, create the structure manually (read the next section).
5. 5 Hide the data. Click the [-] button at the top or left of the Excel spreadsheet to hide the grouped data. In most cases, this action will display only the last line of data.
6. 6 Remove the structure (if needed). Click "Ungroup" (to the right of the "Group" option), and then click on "Delete structure" in the drop-down menu. This will display the data that has been grouped and hidden.

Part 2 of 2: How to create a structure manually

1. 1 Highlight the data. Click and hold the top-left cell of the desired data, and then drag the cursor to the bottom-right cell of the desired data.
2. 2 Click on the tab Data. It's on the left side of the Tool Ribbon, which in turn is located at the top of the Excel window.
3. 3 Click on Group. You will find this option on the right side of the Data panel.
4. 4 Click on Group. It's in the Group drop-down menu.
5. 5 Choose a grouping method. Click Rows to group data vertically, or click Columns to group data horizontally.
6. 6 Click on OK. This button is at the bottom of the pop-up window.
7. 7 Hide the data. Click the [-] button at the top or left of the Excel spreadsheet to hide the grouped data. In most cases, this action will display only the last line of data.
8. 8 Remove the structure (if needed). Click "Ungroup" (to the right of the "Group" option), and then click on "Delete structure" in the drop-down menu. This will display the data that has been grouped and hidden.

Tips

• You cannot use the described function if the table is open for public access.

Warnings

• Do not use the described function if you need to protect the table. In this case, other users will not be able to show and hide rows.