About list features

When you specify a range of cells as a list in Microsoft Excel, the list user interface integrates and makes readily available much of the standard functionality that you might want to use on the data within that list.

AutoFilter drop-downs

One of the common things that you do with data in Excel is to filter the data based on different field values. To make this functionality available to you when using lists, AutoFilter drop-downs are automatically added in the header row of a list when the list is created.

The AutoFilter drop-down contains new functionality: Sort Ascending, Sort Descending, and other sort options are located at the top of the drop-down list.

This functionality sorts the entire list on the field where it is chosen, in the specified order. The remaining drop-down selections are unchanged from the functionality in earlier versions of Excel.

Insert row

Another action that is common when you work with a list is to add a new rows. To that end, an insert row is displayed whenever the list is active. This interface element consists of a blank row, displayed directly below the last row of data, with a blue asterisk (*) inside the left-most cell.

When the list is inactive, the asterisk is removed and the list border shifts up to the bottom of the last row of data.

Total row

To display a total row, click the Toggle Total Row on the List toolbar. This total row is displayed below the insert row when the list is active, and shifts up to the row just below the last row of data when the list is not active. When turned on, the word "Total" is displayed in the left-most cell, and an appropriate Subtotal formula in the right-most cell.

The total row provides you the opportunity to display some manner of total for all columns in your list. When you click in any a cell in the total row, an arrow appears to the right of the cell. You can then click this drop-down list arrow to display a number of aggregate functions. When you choose one, a subtotal function is then inserted into that cell.

Note  You cannot manually edit the cells of the total row to add different functionality. You can select only an aggregate from the drop-down for use in the subtotal function that is inserted into the cell by Excel.