When you try to use the Find utility to search for data in an Excel workbook, you may receive an error message similar to the following: Microsoft Excel cannot find the data you're searching for. Check your search options, location and formatting. This issue may occur if you are searching for text, values, or formatting that is
contained in a filtered list, and the filtering criteria prevents the text, values, or formatting from being displayed. To work around this issue, set the filter criteria to Show All on each worksheet in your workbook before you perform the search. To do this, follow these steps: Start Excel, and then open the workbook that you want to search. On the Data menu, point to Filter, and then click Show All. Repeat step 2 for each sheet in the workbook. Perform the search. Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Excel 2003. Symptoms
Cause
Workaround
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Question
I have a sheet in and Excel file with a lot of data in it.
When I try to search for a word in this particular sheet I get: "Microsoft Excel cannot find the data you're searching for" even for words that are present in the sheet.
when I go to other sheets in the file search function works properly.
What's going on?
thanks
Answers
Hi
In the Find dialog click the Options button and check the options for matching case, match entire cell contents.
Also look at what you have selected when you try to use search. If you have more than one cell selected then the search is restricted to the selected cells.
G North MCT
- Marked as answer by Friday, September 9, 2011 9:12 AM
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Question
When doing a search in Excel workbook, the search does not find data that has been filtered. Is there a workaround to include the filtered data in the search? We are working on large shared spreadsheets and I currently have to go and remove filters from all sheets before the search works properly. (As other users filter the data.)
- Edited by CuriousGeorgina Wednesday, January 16, 2019 12:51 PM
All replies
Hi,
As far as I know, this issue always occurs if you are searching for text, values, or formatting that is contained in a filtered list, and the filtering criteria prevents the text, values, or formatting from being displayed.
To work around this issue, set the filter criteria to Show All on each worksheet in your workbook before you perform the search. To do this, follow these steps:
- Start Excel, and then open the workbook that you want to search.
- On the Data menu, point to Filter, and then click Show All.
- Repeat step 2 for each sheet in the workbook.
- Perform the search.
Hope it helps. If you have any updates, feel free to post back to let me know.
Best Regards,
Herb
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- Proposed as answer by Herb GuMicrosoft contingent staff Thursday, January 17, 2019 8:03 AM
Hi,
I am checking the status of this issue. Do you have any update for it?
If my reply is helpful to this question, please remember to mark it as answer. Your action would be helpful to other users who encounter the same issue and read this thread. Thanks for your understanding.
Anything unclear or any questions, feel free to post them back to let us know. I will be glad to follow up and help you.
Best Regards,
Herb
Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they helped. If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact .
Click here to learn more. Visit the dedicated forum to share, explore and talk to experts about Microsoft Office 2019.