Excel: Change Direction of Group/Outline Function
 

I am using a 4 level Outline in my spreadsheet... I'd like the cascade of
the outline to go from left to right.

IE: my sheet has twenty columns and are grouped in four columns each. I
would like the outline to group as follows:
columns 5-8 displayed, then
columns 9-12, then
columns 13-16, then
columns 17-20 last

The reason is that this is an explanding sheet so as needed you add groups
of columns in fours to the right side of the document.
Excel insists on doing just the opposite... I need help please.

Answer: Excel: Change Direction of Group/Outline Function
 

To change the direction of the group/outline function in Excel, you can follow these steps:

1. Select the columns that you want to group together. In your case, select columns 5-8, 9-12, 13-16, and 17-20.
2. Click on the "Data" tab in the ribbon at the top of the Excel window.
3. Click on the "Group" button in the "Outline" section of the ribbon.
4. In the "Group" dialog box that appears, select the "Rows" option instead of the default "Columns" option.
5. Click on the "OK" button to group the selected columns as rows.
6. Now, you should see the outline symbols appear on the left side of the worksheet, indicating the grouped rows.
7. To collapse or expand the grouped rows, click on the small plus or minus symbols in the outline symbols.

By grouping the columns as rows, you can achieve the desired cascade effect from left to right. As you add more columns to the right side of the worksheet, you can continue to group them as rows to maintain the same outline direction.

Excel: Change Direction of Group/Outline Function
 

I don't think I understand you.

You *can't* form *different* groups from contiguous columns.
XL requires a "totaling' or "summary" column between each individual group.

If you group Columns E to H, you *cannot* create a group of Columns I to L.
If you try, XL will simply combine them into a *single* group.

Or am I not following you at all?

However, if you would leave a column in between each group as a summary
column, XL by default, designates this *ungrouped* summary column to be on
the right side of the group (or on the bottom for grouped rows). This is
where it (XL) places the "+" and "-" signs to expand or collapse the group.

To change this default setting from "right" to "left" (or "bottom" to
"top"),
<Data <Group&Outline <Settings
And check or uncheck the desired configuration.
--
HTH,

RD

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please keep all correspondence within the NewsGroup, so all may benefit !
---------------------------------------------------------------------------


"Ray Carter" <Ray wrote in message
...
I am using a 4 level Outline in my spreadsheet... I'd like the cascade of
the outline to go from left to right.

IE: my sheet has twenty columns and are grouped in four columns each. I
would like the outline to group as follows:
columns 5-8 displayed, then
columns 9-12, then
columns 13-16, then
columns 17-20 last

The reason is that this is an explanding sheet so as needed you add groups
of columns in fours to the right side of the document.
Excel insists on doing just the opposite... I need help please.

Excel: Change Direction of Group/Outline Function
 

Thank-you for you post... You were following what I was triing to do, and
your right I can't do what I was wanhting to do... So I have moved on in a
different direction. Thanks anyway.


"Ragdyer" wrote:

I don't think I understand you.

You *can't* form *different* groups from contiguous columns.
XL requires a "totaling' or "summary" column between each individual group.

If you group Columns E to H, you *cannot* create a group of Columns I to L.
If you try, XL will simply combine them into a *single* group.

Or am I not following you at all?

However, if you would leave a column in between each group as a summary
column, XL by default, designates this *ungrouped* summary column to be on
the right side of the group (or on the bottom for grouped rows). This is
where it (XL) places the "+" and "-" signs to expand or collapse the group.

To change this default setting from "right" to "left" (or "bottom" to
"top"),
<Data <Group&Outline <Settings
And check or uncheck the desired configuration.
--
HTH,

RD

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please keep all correspondence within the NewsGroup, so all may benefit !
---------------------------------------------------------------------------


"Ray Carter" <Ray wrote in message
...
I am using a 4 level Outline in my spreadsheet... I'd like the cascade of
the outline to go from left to right.

IE: my sheet has twenty columns and are grouped in four columns each. I
would like the outline to group as follows:
columns 5-8 displayed, then
columns 9-12, then
columns 13-16, then
columns 17-20 last

The reason is that this is an explanding sheet so as needed you add groups
of columns in fours to the right side of the document.
Excel insists on doing just the opposite... I need help please.

Excel: Change Direction of Group/Outline Function
 

Appreciate the feed-back.
--

Regards,

RD
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit !
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ray Carter" wrote in message
...
Thank-you for you post... You were following what I was triing to do, and
your right I can't do what I was wanhting to do... So I have moved on in a
different direction. Thanks anyway.


"Ragdyer" wrote:

I don't think I understand you.

You *can't* form *different* groups from contiguous columns.
XL requires a "totaling' or "summary" column between each individual
group.

If you group Columns E to H, you *cannot* create a group of Columns I to
L.
If you try, XL will simply combine them into a *single* group.

Or am I not following you at all?

However, if you would leave a column in between each group as a summary
column, XL by default, designates this *ungrouped* summary column to be on
the right side of the group (or on the bottom for grouped rows). This is
where it (XL) places the "+" and "-" signs to expand or collapse the
group.

To change this default setting from "right" to "left" (or "bottom" to
"top"),
<Data <Group&Outline <Settings
And check or uncheck the desired configuration.
--
HTH,

RD

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please keep all correspondence within the NewsGroup, so all may benefit !
---------------------------------------------------------------------------


"Ray Carter" <Ray wrote in message
...
I am using a 4 level Outline in my spreadsheet... I'd like the cascade
of
the outline to go from left to right.

IE: my sheet has twenty columns and are grouped in four columns each. I
would like the outline to group as follows:
columns 5-8 displayed, then
columns 9-12, then
columns 13-16, then
columns 17-20 last

The reason is that this is an explanding sheet so as needed you add
groups
of columns in fours to the right side of the document.
Excel insists on doing just the opposite... I need help please.

In case anyone is reading this page looking for an answer to the question for Excel 2010 (with ribbon)…

Find the ‘outline’ group within the ‘data’ ribbon (you’re probably there already), and click the tiny arrow in the bottom right of that group. You’ll get a dialog box that lets you change where the summary rows go (left or right).