How To Group Columns in Excel

Ever felt overwhelmed by endless columns in your Excel spreadsheet?

This is an issue most users face when dealing with large datasets. Hence, we all need to learn how to group columns in Excel to ease our data analysis. Grouping columns declutters your screen and help you focus on what matters most.

This article will help you master this handy feature.

How To Group Columns in Excel Manually

Manual grouping provides more control, flexibility, and precision. This makes it ideal when dealing with complex or non-standard datasets where accuracy is critical​.

1. Select the columns to group: Click and drag your mouse over the column letters at the top of the sheet to highlight the columns you want to group. Ensure the columns you choose are adjacent to each other. We have selected columns B to K to group the fruits sold in four regions in the table below:

2. Go to the "Data" tab: Navigate to the “Data” tab on the Excel ribbon at the top of the window and find the "Outline" group.

3. Click on the "Group" option: In the "Outline" group, click the "Group" button, and a dropdown menu will appear. Select “Group…” from the dropdown menu. To save time, you can use a keyboard shortcut. Press Shift + Alt + Right arrows on your keyboard.

4. Choose grouping options: If you only selected range of cells in the first step, a group dialog box will appear, asking whether you want to group “Rows” or “Columns.” Select “Columns” and click “OK.” The selected columns will now be grouped, and a line with a minus (-) sign will appear above the grouped columns.

As you can see, we have successfully grouped the columns for the fruits sold. You can click the + sign to expand the columns.

How To Create a Nested Group

You can create multiple levels of grouping within the same set of data by grouping nested data. This is useful when you want to organize complex datasets with multiple layers of detail. Here’s how to group nested data step-by-step:

• Select the next level of data: Highlight a subset of the already grouped data for a more detailed grouping. For example, if columns B to K are already grouped, select columns B and E to create a nested group within the first group. This nested group will represent the oranges sold. 

• Group the nested level: Go to the “Data” tab and click “Group” again. Choose “Columns” in the dialog box and click “OK.” This creates a nested group within the existing group, allowing for a second level of grouping. Note that only adjacent columns can be nested. Do the same for columns G to J to create a nested group for apples sold.

Our table now looks like this: Read more: How to Compare columns in Excel.

How To Group Columns Automatically in Excel

You can use the Auto Outline feature to automatically group data in Excel. It groups data based on recognizable patterns, such as summary rows or columns. Here’s how to do it:

1. Prepare your data: Ensure your data is organized with clear patterns, such as summary columns that contain formulas. For example, if you have monthly sales data, ensure there are quarterly or annual totals that Excel can use to determine groups. You should also have no bland columns.

2. Select the data range: Highlight the range of data you want to group. This could include multiple rows or columns that contain the data and its summaries.

3. Go to the "Data" tab: Navigate to the “Data” tab on the Excel ribbon.

4. Use the Auto Outline option: In the “Outline” group within the “Data” tab, click on the "Group" dropdown and select "Auto Outline." Excel will automatically detect the structure of your data and create groups based on the patterns it finds, such as the placement of summary columns or rows.

5. Review and adjust the grouping: Excel will group your data into various levels (e.g., Level 1, Level 2) and add expand/collapse buttons (plus and minus signs) to the left or top of the data. You can click these buttons to collapse or expand the grouped data. If the automatic grouping is not exactly what you wanted, you can manually adjust it by selecting the rows or columns and using the "Group" or "Ungroup" options.

How To Hide and Unhide Grouped Columns in Excel

To hide and unhide column groups, you can use the following methods:

How to Hide Grouped Columns:

1. Collapse the Group:

   • Once you have grouped the columns, you will see a minus (-) button at the top of the group outline (above the grouped columns). Click on this minus (-) button to collapse the grouped columns. This will hide the columns and display a plus (+) button instead.

2. Use the Outline Numbers:

   • If there are multiple levels of grouping, you will see numbers (like 1, 2, etc.) on the left side of the worksheet. Click on these numbers to collapse all groups at a particular level. For example, clicking on “1” will collapse the outer group, while clicking on “2” will collapse the next level of nested groups.

How to Unhide Grouped Columns:

1. Expand the Group:

   • To unhide the grouped columns, click on the plus (+) button that appears above the grouping outline where the columns are hidden. This will expand the group and display all the previously hidden columns.

2. Use the Outline Numbers:

   • Similarly, you can click on the numbers (like 1, 2, etc.) on the left side of the worksheet to expand all groups at a particular level. For example, clicking on “2” will expand all the nested groups at that level.

How To Ungroup Specific Columns in Excel

To ungroup a particular column in Excel, you can follow these steps:

1. Select the grouped column(s): Click on any column in the grouped data. Make sure to select the entire column by clicking on the column header (e.g., “B” or “C”).

2. Navigate to the "Data" tab: Go to the “Data” tab in the Excel ribbon at the top of the screen.

3. Click on the “Ungroup” option: In the “Outline” group, click on the “Ungroup” button. A dropdown menu may appear; choose “Ungroup” from the options.

4. Select the “Columns” option: A dialog box may appear asking whether you want to ungroup “Rows” or “Columns.” Ensure “Columns” is selected, and then click “OK.”

Final Thoughts

To group columns in Excel, select the columns you want to group, go to the "Data" tab, and click on "Group" in the "Outline" group. You can also use the shortcut Shift + Alt + Right Arrow to quickly open the Group dialog box and select "Columns." These skills will make you better equipped to handle complex datasets efficiently.

You can visit our homepage for more easy-to-follow how-to and step-by-step guides. Check the links in related articles for further details about Excel/Google Sheets Templates!

Frequently Asked Questions on "How To Group Columns in Excel"

1. How do I group non-adjacent columns in Excel?
You need to create multiple groups separately to group non-adjacent columns, as Excel does not support grouping non-adjacent columns in one step.

2. Can I group columns using a keyboard shortcut?
Yes, you can use Shift + Alt + Right Arrow to group columns quickly and Shift + Alt + Left Arrow to ungroup them.

3. What should I do if I accidentally group the wrong columns?
Simply select the grouped columns, go to the "Data" tab, and click "Ungroup" to remove the grouping.

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