Outline a list of data in a worksheet

Outline a list of data in a worksheet
You have a list of data that you want to group and summarize, you can create an outline of up to eight levels, one for each group. Each inner level, represented by a higher number in outline symbol displays detail data for the preceding outer level, represented by a lower number in the outline symbols. Use an outline to quickly display summary rows or columns, or to reveal the detail data for each group. You can create an outline of rows (as shown in the example below), an outline of columns, or an outline of both rows and columns.

An outline row of cells data grouped by geographical regions and months with several summary and detail rows displayed.

1. To display rows for a level, click the appropriate outline symbols.
2. Level 1 contains the total cells for all detail rows.
3. Level 2 contains the total cells for each month in each region.
4. Level 3 contains the total rows (only detail rows 11 through 13 are currently visible).
5. To expand or collapse data in your outline, click the + and - outline symbols.


Create an outline of rows
1. Make sure that each column has a label in the first row, contains similar facts in each column, and that the range has no blank rows or columns
2. Select a cell in the range.
3. Sort the columns that from the groups.
For more information on sorting, see sort data in a range or table.
4. Insert summary rows.
To outline data by rows, you must have summary rows that that contain formulas that reference cells in each of the detail rows for that group. Do one of the following:
Insert summary rows by using the Subtotal command
· Use the Subtotal command, which inserts the SUBTOTAL function immediately below or above each group of detail rows and automatically creates the outline for you. For information, see insert subtotals in a list of data in a worksheet.