

Select Text and Error Cells with the GoTo Special Menu Note that the technique only works for text, not logical (TRUE/FALSE) or error values. This will apply a filter for all the text values in the column. In the filter drop-down menu select Date Filters > Equals > type an asterisk * in the criteria box > press OK. Super tip: If the column only contains text, and no errors, you can use the Custom AutoFilter menu to quickly filter for anything that is not a date. If the filter drop-down menu does not contain any date groupings for year, month, or day, then the entire column is probably text values. The next step is to determine why the values are not dates, and fix them. The column will now be filtered to only display the text and error values.

One quick way to determine if there are text or error values in your column is to use the checkbox list in the filter drop-down menu.Īs we can see in the image below, the filter drop-down menu groups all the date values in this column by Year, Month, Day. Here are a few quick tips to locate the bad eggs in our date columns… The Filter Drop-down Menu Groups Dates There are several ways to find cells that contain text or errors in a column. 3 Ways to Find Text or Errors in a Column If you don't like the automatic grouping or are on a different fiscal calendar, then checkout my article on Grouping Dates in a Pivot Table VERSUS Grouping Dates in the Source Data. Note: In Excel 2016, date fields are automatically grouped when added to the rows or columns area of a pivot table.

So, we are now on the hunt for TEXT and ERRORS! 🙂 The cause is mostly due to the rule above, where all cells in the date field do not contain dates. One of the most common questions I get from that video is that the date grouping feature is not working.
#EXCEL RIBBON IS GREYED OUT HOW TO#
I explain how to create date groupings in video #3 of my 3-part video series on pivot tables and dashboards. If there are any cells in the date field of the source data that contain text or errors, then the group feature will NOT work. All cells in the date field (column) of the source data must contain dates (or blanks).
