Grandma,
This is fairly easy by using the AutoFilter feature found
under Tools on the main tool bar at the top. I have to
assume that your imported data is arranged by row. In
other words, each row has all of your data for that one
person and that each column has the same information about
different folks. Like the A column is last name, the B
column is first name, etc. What you need to do is add a
column of data. Lets call this new column "Catagory".
In the Catagory column make up a catagory name for this
person: Family, friend, co-worker, client, etc. Do this
for each entry. Once you do this scroll to the bottom of
this column, select the last entry as well as every
catagory entry above the last one. Once everything in the
Catagory column is highlighted select Tools>Auto filter.
A little arrow will appear on the top of the very top
cell. Click that arrow and a pull down list of every type
of catagory you entered will appear as well as a few
defaults like All. Select the catagory you want i.e.
Family and the spreadsheet will hide everybody except the
people with the word family on the Catagory column. You
can autofilter more than one column at a time but you have
to sort and then select a new column and autofilter
again. You might have a second column Christmas Cards
2003. Just place an X in this column for everyone that
sent you a Christmas card or that you sent out.
Once the list is sorted you can sort it a second time to
use one of these extra columns. So if you were looking for
family that sent you Christmas cards. First autofilter
Catagory then highlight the Christams card column select
autofilter X and it will show all of the good little boys
and girls that sent their Grandmother a Christmas Card
last year.
In order to go back select autofilter and this time select
ALL and it will undo the sort.
Hope this helps
Bill
