Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Hiding Graphics when Filtering.

Hiding Graphics when Filtering

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 13, 2021)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


1

James has a worksheet that has graphics on top of cells that explain what is in the cells. The graphics sort with the cells just fine, but when he applies filters to the cells, the graphics bunch up at top of cells that are visible. James wonders if there is a way to have graphics hide when filtering data within cells.

The answer has to do with how you have the properties for the graphics set up. You need to make sure that the graphics are set to resize when the row height changes. Here's what you do:

  1. Select the graphic (or graphics) whose properties you want to modify.
  2. Right-click the graphic (or graphics). Excel displays a Context menu.
  3. Choose Format Picture from the shortcut menu. Excel displays the Format Picture dialog box.
  4. Make sure the Properties tab is selected. (See Figure 1.)
  5. Figure 1. The Properties tab of the Format Picture dialog box.

  6. Make sure the Move and Size with Cells check box is selected.
  7. Click OK.

It is step 5 that does the trick here. Since your graphics are sorting properly when you sort the worksheet, chances are good that you had the Move but Don't Size with Cells check box selected. This is what caused the graphics to bunch up—they couldn't resize when filtering hid the rows with which they were associated.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3866) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Hiding Graphics when Filtering.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Changing the Footnote Separator

When you print a document that uses footnotes, Word normally places a small line between the end of the document body ...

Discover More

Advanced Filtering

Many people know how to use AutoFilter, but there are times when you need some more filtering muscle. Here's how you can ...

Discover More

Putting Shift+F4 On the Quick Access Toolbar

The Shift+F4 shortcut is very helpful when you want to repeat an action, such as finding the next occurrence of whatever ...

Discover More

Solve Real Business Problems Master business modeling and analysis techniques with Excel and transform data into bottom-line results. This hands-on, scenario-focused guide shows you how to use the latest Excel tools to integrate data from multiple tables. Check out Microsoft Excel 2013 Data Analysis and Business Modeling today!

More ExcelTips (menu)

Capturing a Screen

A picture is worth a thousand words, but getting the picture—particularly a screen shot—into a workbook may ...

Discover More

Adding AutoShapes

The graphics features of Excel allow you to add a number of predefined AutoShapes to a workbook. If you want to add ...

Discover More

Hiding Objects

If you are bothered by different objects visible in your worksheet, you'll want to turn them off so they aren't ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is one less than 8?

2017-05-02 06:36:09

Cormac

THANK YOU! That's been annoying me for a while.


This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.