Chapter 27: Creating and Using Worksheet Outlines
27
a level number displays the detail for that level, plus any levels with lower numbers. To dis-
play all levels (the most detail), click the highest-level number.You can expand a particular section by clicking its plus-sign button, or you can collapse a
particular section by clicking its minus-sign button. In short, you have complete control
over the details that Excel exposes or hides in an outline.If you prefer, you can use the Hide Detail and Show Detail commands on the Data ➪ Outline
group to hide and show details, respectively.If you constantly adjust the outline to show different reports, consider using the Custom Views feature to save a
particular view and give it a name. Then you can quickly switch among the named views. Choose View ➪ Workbook
Views ➪ Custom Views.
Adding data to an outline
You may need to add additional rows or columns to an outline. In some cases, you may be
able to insert new rows or columns without disturbing the outline, and the new rows or
columns become part of the outline. In other cases, you’ll find that the new row or column
is not part of the outline. If you create the outline automatically, choose Data ➪ Outline ➪
Group ➪ Auto Outline. Excel makes you verify that you want to modify the existing outline.
If you create the outline manually, you need to make the adjustments manually as well.Removing an outline
After you no longer need an outline, you can remove it by choosing Data ➪ Outline ➪
Ungroup ➪ Clear Outline. Excel fully expands the outline by displaying all hidden rows
and columns, and the outline symbols disappear. Be careful before you remove an outline,
however. You can’t make it reappear by clicking the Undo button; you must re-create the
outline from scratch.Adjusting the outline symbols
When you create a manual outline, Excel puts the outline symbols below the summary rows.
This can be unintuitive because you need to click the symbol in the row below the section
that you want to expand.If you prefer that the outline symbols appear in the same row as the summary row, click
the dialog box launcher in the lower right of the Data ➪ Outline group. Excel displays the
dialog box shown in Figure 27.7. Remove the check mark from the Summary Rows Below
Detail option and click OK. The outline will now display the outline symbols in a more logi-
cal position.