Mastering Excel VBA: How to Re-Number After Filtering Data

Are you tired of manually re-numbering your data after filtering in Excel? Look no further! In this comprehensive article, we’ll delve into the world of VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) and explore the perfect solution to this common problem. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll be a pro at re-numbering your data with ease, saving you time and increasing productivity.

What’s the Problem?

When you filter data in Excel, the resulting output often has gaps in the numbering, making it difficult to work with. This is especially true when dealing with large datasets. Imagine having to manually re-number hundreds or even thousands of rows – it’s a daunting task, to say the least!

The Solution: VBA to the Rescue!

To tackle this issue, we’ll create a VBA script that automatically re-numbers your filtered data. But before we dive into the code, let’s cover the basics.

Prerequisites:

• Basic understanding of Excel VBA (don’t worry if you’re new to VBA, we’ll take it one step at a time)
• Access to the Visual Basic Editor in Excel (VBE)
• A sample dataset to test our script

Step 1: Create a New Module in VBE

Open your Excel workbook and press Alt + F11 to open the Visual Basic Editor (VBE). In the VBE, click Insert > Module to create a new module.

Sub ReNumberFilteredData()
    ' Our script will go here
End Sub

Step 2: Set Up Your Variables

In this step, we’ll declare the necessary variables to store our data and ranges.

Sub ReNumberFilteredData()
    Dim rng As Range
    Dim filteredRange As Range
    Dim i As Long
    Dim count As Long
End Sub

In the above code:

• rng stores the entire data range
• filteredRange stores the filtered data range
• i is a counter for our loop
• count stores the total number of rows in our filtered data

Step 3: Set the Data Range and Filtered Range

Next, we’ll set the data range and filtered range using the following code:

Sub ReNumberFilteredData()
    Dim rng As Range
    Dim filteredRange As Range
    Dim i As Long
    Dim count As Long
    
    Set rng = Range("A1").CurrentRegion ' adjust to your data range
    Set filteredRange = rng.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeVisible)
End Sub

In the above code:

• Range("A1").CurrentRegion sets the entire data range
• SpecialCells(xlCellTypeVisible) sets the filtered range to only visible cells

Step 4: Re-Number the Filtered Data

Now, it’s time to re-number our filtered data using a loop:

Sub ReNumberFilteredData()
    Dim rng As Range
    Dim filteredRange As Range
    Dim i As Long
    Dim count As Long
    
    Set rng = Range("A1").CurrentRegion ' adjust to your data range
    Set filteredRange = rng.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeVisible)
    
    count = filteredRange.Rows.Count
    For i = 1 To count
        filteredRange(i, 1).Value = i ' re-number the data
    Next i
End Sub

In the above code:

• count = filteredRange.Rows.Count stores the total number of rows in our filtered data
• The For loop iterates through each row in the filtered range
• filteredRange(i, 1).Value = i re-numbers the data in the first column (adjust to your column of choice)

Step 5: Run the Script

Save your module by clicking File > Save (or press Ctrl + S). Return to your Excel worksheet and press Alt + F8 to open the Macro dialog box. Select the ReNumberFilteredData macro and click Run.

Putting It All Together

Here’s the complete script:

Sub ReNumberFilteredData()
    Dim rng As Range
    Dim filteredRange As Range
    Dim i As Long
    Dim count As Long
    
    Set rng = Range("A1").CurrentRegion ' adjust to your data range
    Set filteredRange = rng.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeVisible)
    
    count = filteredRange.Rows.Count
    For i = 1 To count
        filteredRange(i, 1).Value = i ' re-number the data
    Next i
End Sub

Tips and Variations

Re-Numbering Multiple Columns

If you need to re-number multiple columns, simply modify the loop to iterate through each column:

For j = 1 To filteredRange.Columns.Count
    For i = 1 To count
        filteredRange(i, j).Value = i ' re-number the data
    Next i
Next j

Re-Numbering with a Specific Format

To re-number with a specific format (e.g., “001”, “002”, etc.), use the Format function:

filteredRange(i, 1).Value = Format(i, "000") ' re-number with a three-digit format

Automating the Script

To automate the script, you can attach it to a worksheet event, such as the Worksheet_Change event. This way, the script will run automatically whenever the data is filtered:

Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
    If Target.Parent.AutoFilterMode Then
        Call ReNumberFilteredData
    End If
End Sub

Conclusion

With this comprehensive guide, you’ve mastered the art of re-numbering filtered data in Excel using VBA. You’ve learned how to set up a script, declare variables, and re-number your data with ease. Take your skills to the next level by experimenting with different variations and automating the script to streamline your workflow.

Topic	Description
Excel VBA	Learn the basics of Excel VBA and how to create a new module
Re-Numbering Filtered Data	Master the script to re-number filtered data in Excel
VBA Variables	Understand the purpose of variables in VBA and how to declare them
Re-Numbering Multiple Columns	Learn how to modify the script to re-number multiple columns
Re-Numbering with a Specific Format	Discover how to use the Format function to re-number with a specific format
Automating the Script	Learn how to attach the script to a worksheet event for automation

Now, go ahead and put your newfound skills to the test! Remember, practice makes perfect, so don’t be afraid to experiment and explore the world of Excel VBA.

Frequently Asked Question

Get ready to master the art of renumbering after filtering data in VBA Excel!