Question

I have a sheet with user details in columns A – C.
Columns D-H is distribution lists the users are subscribed too. (currently check box linked to cell to indicate which list(s) user is subscribed to)

A user can be subscribed to more than on list.

At the moment I can use filters which works ok to filter users for list x, copy the user info to another sheet, then next list filterd (used text for the list selection)
This does cause some problems between some of the users of this sheet.(those that don’t know how to use filters)

I would like to create a new sheet for each list which gets populated automatically.
As a user is added/removed from a list, his details is automatically added/removed from the corresponding ‘list sheet’.

This way no one can complain about the filters
At the same time they can then export the ‘list sheet’ they require to another xls doc or csv as required.

I have found various options on how to do this, but all of then had only one selection column. I thought I could alter some of the ranges etc etc in the sample code but all failed with the limited knowledge I have with VB.

Any suggestions on how to do this?
Thanks!

Answer 1

Please do not try and create two copies of your data. Keeping two versions of the same data in step is very, very difficult.

I believe your best option is to create a macro with which your users can select the filter they require.

You do not describe your data in much detail so I have imagined something like the following:

Name    Addr        Tele   List1    List2   List3   List4   List5
John    London      1234   x                
Jane    Paris       2345            x           
Kevin   Stockholm   3456                    x       
Mary    Brussels    4567                            x   
Nigel   Dublin      5678                                    x
Abby    Athens      6789   x        x               x
Brian   Rome        7890                    x           

Given the above layout, the following macro shows the sort of thing I would offer.

When the macro is executed, it displays an InputBox like this:

from which the user can select the filter required.

I hope this gives you some ideas.

Option Explicit
Sub SelectFilter()

  Dim ColNum() As Variant
  Dim InxList As Long
  Dim ListName() As Variant
  Dim Prompt As String
  Dim ReturnValue As Variant

  ' Load ListName with user-friendly names for the lists
  ListName = Array("Name list 1", "Name list 2", "Name list 3", _
                   "Name list 4", "Name list 5")
  ' Load ColNum with the column number for each list.  The entries in ColNum
  ' must be in the same sequence as the entries in ListName.  Column "A" is
  ' column 1, column "B" is column 2 and so on.
  ColNum = Array(4, 5, 6, 7, 8)

  ' Combine the user-friendly list names to create a menu
  Prompt = ""
  For InxList = 0 To UBound(ListName)
    Prompt = Prompt & InxList + 1 & ". " & ListName(InxList) & vbLf
  Next
  Prompt = Prompt & "Please enter the number against the list you require." _
           & vbLf & "Leave box empty to cancel selection."

  ' Loop until user cancels or enters a permitted value
  Do While True
    ReturnValue = InputBox(Prompt, "Select filter")
    If VarType(ReturnValue) = vbBoolean Then
      If Not ReturnValue Then
        ' The documentation for InputBox claims it returns False if
        ' the user clicks Cancel.  In my experience it return a
        ' null string but check to be on the safe side.
        Exit Sub
      Else
        ' True is not a documented return value from InputBox.
        ' This code should never be executed but if something
        ' goes wrong there is a message for the user.
        Call MsgBox("Please report there has been a InputBox " & _
                    "error type 1 to Chaka", vbCritical)
        Exit Sub
      End If
    End If
    If VarType(ReturnValue) <> vbString Then
      ' False or a string are the only documented return values
        ' This code should never be executed but if something
        ' goes wrong there is a message for the user.
       Call MsgBox("Please report there has been a InputBox " & _
                    "error type 2 to Chaka", vbCritical)
       Exit Sub
    End If
    If ReturnValue = "" Then
      ' User has clicked cancel or left the text box empty.
      Exit Sub
    End If
    If IsNumeric(ReturnValue) Then
      InxList = ReturnValue - 1
      If InxList >= 0 And InxList <= UBound(ListName) Then
        ' Good selection
        Exit Do
      End If
    End If
  Loop

  With Sheets("Sheet2")
    If .AutoFilterMode Then
      ' AutoFilter is on.  Cancel current selection before applying
      ' new one because criteria are additive.
      .AutoFilterMode = False
    End If

    .Cells.AutoFilter Field:=ColNum(InxList), Criteria1:="x"
  End With

End Sub