Excel Slicer: click-to-filter buttons for pivot tables and tables

A slicer is a panel of buttons that filters a pivot table or Excel Table. Unlike the filter arrow, everyone can see what’s selected.

Add a slicer

1. Click inside a pivot table (or an Excel Table).
2. Insert › Slicer (or PivotTable Analyze › Insert Slicer).
3. Tick the field — e.g. Region › OK.

Click a button to filter. The pivot table updates instantly.

Select several items

• Hold Ctrl and click, or
• click the multi-select icon (ticks) at the top of the slicer.

Clear the filter: the funnel-with-× icon in the corner.

One slicer, many pivot tables

Right-click the slicer › Report Connections › tick every pivot table that should follow it. All pivots must come from the same source data. Now one click filters the whole dashboard.

Timeline for dates

For a date field, use Insert › Timeline instead: a bar to drag across months, quarters or years.

Make it look right

• Slicer tab › pick a style.
• Slicer tab › Columns: 3 — buttons side by side instead of a tall list.
• Right-click › Slicer Settings › untick Display header or hide items with no data.

Don’t let it move

Right-click › Size and Properties › Properties › Don’t move or size with cells.

Build the pivot first: pivot tables