By: Chase Petersen
Google docs, specifically the spreadsheet version, are handy for multiple people to see and create together, but it can be difficult to keep the sheet clean. One person can filter it one way and make it difficult for others to use it and over time the sheet can become unrecognizable. Fortunately, Google has a solution built into their product: filter view. Filter views are separate instances of the data that each individual can change the filters to his or her liking without everyone else seeing those filters.
The sheet maintains the property of data visibility, where as when data is added everyone can see it; even if I am in a filter view and someone else adds to the sheet, that data is added to my filter view. Conversely, if I add data to the filter view it is also added to the base sheet. The truly brilliant part of the filter view is that you can save the filter views and name them for anyone who has access to use.
To create a filter view select the data bar at the top of your screen, then hover over the filter views section. This is were you can create a new filter view, save your filter view, or select a previously created filter view.
The days of losing your google spreadsheet to entropy are over with the proper use of filter views!
