Selecting
In Focus Mode a click selects something for the ribbon to format; the selection is outlined. Outside Focus Mode a click on a row label or a column header filters the other visuals instead (see the table in Focus Mode).
Only one kind of selection exists at a time. Selecting a row clears a column or cell selection, and so on.
📷 Screenshot needed:
selection-types.png- a row (green), a column (blue) and a few cells (purple) selected in turn.
Rows​
Click the row label.
| Click | Result |
|---|---|
| Plain click | Selects that row. A click on the only selected row selects it off again. |
Ctrl / Cmd + click | Adds the row to the selection, or removes it. |
Shift + click | Selects the range of rows from the last one you clicked. |
The Total row can be selected and formatted like any other row. A click on the + / - icon only opens or closes the row and
does not select it.
Columns and headers​
Click a column header (a group header selects all columns under it).
| Click | Result |
|---|---|
| First plain click | Selects the whole column (header and values). |
| Second click on the same, only selected column | Narrows the selection to the header only - the ribbon then formats the header. |
| Third click | Deselects. |
| A plain click on another column | Starts again at "whole column". |
Ctrl / Cmd + click | Adds or removes a column. |
Shift + click | Selects the range of columns from the last one you clicked. |
A selection of several columns has no header-only step; the ribbon formats their values.
For selection by menu, see Select in the column menu: Select All, Select This Group, Select This Measure (which also selects that measure's hidden columns).
Cells​
Click a value cell.
| Click | Result |
|---|---|
| Plain click | Selects that cell. A click on the only selected cell selects it off again. |
Ctrl / Cmd + click | Adds or removes a cell. |
Shift + click | Selects the block of cells from the last one you clicked (rows in table order, columns in column order). |
A click on a value cell never starts a row or column selection. But if the cell lies inside the row or column that is already selected, the click clears that selection - so you can deselect by clicking anywhere in it.
The first column​
Click one of the corner cells at the top left (the cells above the row labels).
| Click | Result |
|---|---|
| First click | Selects the first column - the row labels and the corner cells. |
| Second click | Narrows to the corner cells only. |
| Third click | Deselects. |
The first column is not a data column, so there is nothing to cross-filter with outside Focus Mode: a click there does nothing.
What the selection is used for​
| Selection | Start tab can do |
|---|---|
| Cells | Font, Fill, Borders, Alignment, Number Format |
| Rows | Font, Fill, Borders, Alignment (no number format - rows have none) |
| Columns / one header | Font, Fill, Borders, Alignment, Number Format, Financial Headers |
| First column | Font, Fill, Borders, Alignment |
Selection outlines​
| Selection | Outline |
|---|---|
| Column / header | Blue |
| Row | Green |
| Cell | Purple |
A copy with Ctrl+C makes the copied cells flash briefly. See Keyboard and mouse.