Create Slicers and Timelines

Slicers and Timelines are visual filtering components used to filter data in PivotTables and Tables. They act as a user-friendly "remote control" for your reports, making it easier to see exactly what is being filtered compared to standard dropdown filters. Slicers handle any field type, while Timelines are a specialized control for date fields.

Part 1: Inserting Slicers

You can create slicers for both standard Excel Tables and PivotTables.

For PivotTables

1. Click anywhere inside the PivotTable.
2. Go to the PivotTable Analyze tab.
3. In the Filter group, click Insert Slicer.
4. Check the box for the field(s) you want to filter (e.g., "Region", "Year", "Category").

For Excel Tables

1. Click anywhere inside the Table.
2. Go to the Table Design tab.
3. In the Tools group, click Insert Slicer.

Part 2: Slicer Interactivity

Once a slicer is on your worksheet, you can use it to interact with the data:

• Single Select: Click a button to filter for that specific item.
• Multi-Select: Click the Multi-Select button (top right of the slicer) or hold Ctrl while clicking multiple items.
• Clear Filter: Click the Clear Filter icon (funnel with an 'x') in the top right corner of the slicer.
• Select a Range: Click an item and drag your mouse to select adjacent buttons.

Part 3: Connecting One Slicer to Multiple PivotTables

This is a critical "Expert" task. By default, a slicer only filters the specific PivotTable it was created from. To make one slicer control multiple reports:

1. Right-click the slicer.
2. Select Report Connections.
3. Check the boxes for all PivotTables that should be filtered by this slicer.
   • Note: The PivotTables must all be based on the same data source (Data Cache).

Part 4: Modifying Slicer Options

When a slicer is selected, the Slicer tab appears in the Ribbon.

Visual Customization

• Slicer Styles: Apply preset colors to match your dashboard theme.
• Columns: Change the number of columns (e.g., set to 4 columns to make a horizontal button bar instead of a vertical list).
• Buttons: Adjust the height and width of the individual buttons.

Slicer Settings

Right-click the slicer and select Slicer Settings to:

• Display Header: Toggle the title of the slicer on/off.
• Sorting: Change the order of items (Ascending/Descending) or use Custom Lists.
• Hide Items with No Data: Check this to prevent buttons from showing if there are no records for that specific combination of filters.

Part 5: Timelines

A Timeline is a specialized slicer designed for date fields. Instead of a button list, it shows a horizontal scrubber with selectable date ranges, making it the most user-friendly way to filter a PivotTable by a continuous time period.

Insert a Timeline

1. Click anywhere inside the PivotTable.
2. Go to the PivotTable Analyze tab.
3. In the Filter group, click Insert Timeline.
4. Tick the box for any date field in the dialog (only true date columns appear). Click OK.

Time-Level Dropdown

The dropdown in the top-right corner of the Timeline switches the granularity of each tile:

• Years
• Quarters
• Months (default)
• Days

Range Scrubber & Active Range Indicator

• Click a single tile to filter to one period.
• Drag across multiple tiles — or grab the blue handles on either edge of the selection — to define a contiguous date range.
• The range readout above the scrubber (e.g., Jan - Mar 2026) confirms the active selection.
• Click the Clear Filter icon (top-right) to remove the date filter entirely.

Report Connections (Drive Multiple PivotTables)

Just like slicers, a single Timeline can drive several PivotTables built on the same data cache:

1. Select the Timeline.
2. Timeline tab > Report Connections (or right-click > Report Connections).
3. Tick every PivotTable you want this Timeline to filter.

Format Options (Timeline Tab)

When the Timeline is selected, the Timeline tab appears in the Ribbon:

Timeline vs. Date Slicer

You can also create a regular Slicer on a date field — but it produces one button per unique date, which is unwieldy. Use a Timeline when you want continuous range selection; reserve a date Slicer for picking a few discrete dates from a small set.

Technical Checklist for the Exam

Official Resources:

• Use slicers to filter data
• Create a PivotTable timeline to filter dates