Sort, filter, rules and comments

DataMind Oda sorts and filters your data, removes duplicate rows, sets data validation such as dropdown lists, adds conditional formatting and works with the notes and comments on cells. This page covers what each step does, what it asks in each permission mode and what Revert turn can undo. For tables, rows and sheets, see Sheets, rows and tables.

Sorting

Oda sorts the rows of a range or a table in place. The step row reads Sorting or filtering data and the range or table, then, for example, Sorted Sales!A2:F200.

• A sort takes up to 64 columns, most important first. Each sorts smallest or A first, or the other way round; by cell colour or font colour, with the cells of one colour first; or in an order of values you give, such as Low, Medium, High, with values not listed after them.
• An order of values works on a range, for at most 3 columns and 100,000 rows. It needs one empty column right of the range for each such column: Oda puts each row's place there for the sort and empties it again. For a table, Oda adds a column that gives each row its place, sorts on it and deletes it again.
• Oda sorts a whole block of data. When the column just left or right of the range holds data, sorting the range alone would split its rows from the cells beside them, so Oda refuses and sorts the whole block instead. For a range that overlaps a table, Oda sorts the table.
• The card names the order and the data that moves, as in Sort the rows of Sales!A2:F200 by “Region” ascending, then “Amount” descending; Excel moves each row as a whole; 48 of these cells hold data. Its title is Allow Oda to move cells?, and it offers no Always allow in this chat.
• In Accept edits a sort asks first unless every filled cell holds what Oda wrote in this chat. Afterwards, the cells Oda wrote on that sheet count as yours.
• Oda sorts only when you ask, never to read, summarise or point to data. To show you some rows, it filters them or adds conditional formatting instead, and it says what it sorted by.

Filtering

Oda filters a range or a table on one column at a time and hides the rows that do not match. The step row reads, for example, Filtered Sales!A1:F200; 48 rows show.

• A filter keeps the rows whose cell shows one of up to 1,000 values, exactly as Excel displays them, such as 1,200 or Jan-26; the rows that match a comparison such as >50, <>0 or =*east*, or two comparisons joined by and or or; the top or bottom 1 to 500 items, or a top percentage; the rows filled with one colour; or the rows of a date period, such as today, last month, a quarter or year to date, or above or below the average.
• A new filter adds to the filters already there. The card reads, for example, Filter Sales!A1:F200 on the column “Region”, keeping the values “East”, “West”; the rows that do not match are hidden.
• A sheet has one AutoFilter. Oda moves it to another range only when it hides no rows; otherwise it filters within it, or clears its filters first.
• Clearing filters shows the rows they hid, for every column or only the ones you name. When there is nothing to clear, the step row reads No filter to clear.
• Filtering and clearing filters run without a card in Accept edits.

Removing duplicate rows

Oda deletes each row that repeats an earlier row in the columns you name, or in every column, and the rows below move up. The step row reads, for example, Removed 14 duplicate rows from Sales!A1:F200.

• The card reads, for example, Delete the rows of Sales!A1:F200 that repeat an earlier row in “Email”; the rows below them move up; 1,180 of these cells hold data. It asks first in every mode except Skip all permissions.
• As with a sort, Oda acts on a whole block of data, and afterwards the cells Oda wrote on that sheet count as yours.

Data validation

Oda sets, reads and removes the data validation of cells: dropdown lists and rules for what may be typed in them. The step row reads Working with data validation and the range, then, for example, Set data validation on Sales!C2:C200, Data validation of Sales!C2: a dropdown list or No data validation on Sales!D2:D200.

• Dropdown list: from items Oda types, up to 255 characters in all, or from cells, such as =Lists!$A$2:$A$9. Items that hold a comma go in cells.
• Numbers, dates, times and text length: whole numbers only, numbers only, dates only, times only, or a limit on the length of the text, compared with a value or a formula: between, not between, equal, not equal, greater, less, greater or equal, or less or equal.
• Custom: a formula that is TRUE for the values allowed, such as =COUNTIF($A:$A,A2)=1 for no repeats.
• Messages: an input message that shows when a cell is selected, with a title of up to 32 characters and text of up to 255; and an error alert, where Stop refuses other values and Warning and Information let you keep them, with text of up to 225 characters. Blank cells are allowed unless Oda sets otherwise.
• Values already in the cells stay even when the rule does not allow them, and Excel marks nothing. Oda tells you which cells break the rule.
• Setting validation on cells that have none runs without a card in Accept edits. Replacing the validation cells already have asks first in Accept edits, on a card titled Allow Oda to replace what is there?. Removing validation asks first in every mode except Skip all permissions.

Conditional formatting

Oda adds, lists and deletes the conditional formatting rules of cells. The step row reads Working with conditional formatting and the range, then, for example, Added a rule to Sales!D2:D200, 3 rules or Deleted 2 rules on Sales!D2:D200.

• Rules: by cell value, by a formula, a colour scale of 2 or 3 colours, data bars, an icon set, the top or bottom values (a count or a percentage), by the text in the cell, duplicate values, unique values, blank cells, or cells that show an error.
• Formats: fill, font colour, bold, italic, number format and a thin border colour.
• A new rule goes first unless Oda places it lower, and a rule can stop the rules after it from formatting the cells it formats.
• The card names the rule and what it checks, as in Add a conditional formatting rule to Sales!D2:D200: by a formula; using “=$D2>$C2”. Adding a rule runs without a card in Accept edits.
• Deleting removes the rules on the range, or one rule. A rule that also covers cells outside the range stays on those cells. Deleting asks first in every mode except Skip all permissions, and also removes the Show on sheet highlight there, which the card says.

Notes and comments

Oda adds, edits, deletes and lists the notes and comments on cells, and replies to and resolves comments. A note is plain text on a cell; a comment is a thread others can reply to. The step row reads Working with notes and comments and the cell, then, for example, Added a note to Sales!B2, Replied to the comment on Sales!B2, Resolved the comment on Sales!B2 or 5 comments.

• A cell holds one note and one comment thread. To change one that is there, Oda edits it or replies to it. A note or a comment holds up to 10,000 characters, and mentions of people are not supported.
• In Office 2021 and Office 2024, Excel has no notes for add-ins, so a comment stands in for a note; see What depends on your version of Excel.
• The card quotes the text, as in Add a note to Sales!B2: “Source: 2025 actuals”; a long text shows in full in a box under the line.
• Adding, replying and resolving run without a card in Accept edits. Editing a note or comment that is there asks first in Accept edits, with the text Now and After. Deleting asks first in every mode except Skip all permissions; deleting a comment deletes its replies too, as in Delete the comment on Sales!B2 with its 2 replies: “Check the Q3 figure”.
• One list returns up to 200 notes or comments; Oda reads the rest in further steps.

What Revert turn can undo

• Revert turn puts back the notes and comments a turn added or edited, with the rest of the turn.
• It refuses a turn that sorted, filtered, cleared filters, removed duplicate rows, added, replaced or deleted data validation or conditional formatting rules, deleted a note or a comment, or replied to or resolved a comment. Nothing is changed; the Changes panel says why. See Review and undo Oda's changes.

Questions, answered

Why did Oda refuse to sort my range?

The column right next to the range holds data, so sorting the range alone would split its rows from the cells beside them. Ask Oda to sort the whole block, or name the columns to sort by.

Can Oda sort by an order I choose?

Yes. Give the order, such as High, Medium, Low. On a range Oda needs one empty column to the right for each column you sort that way; for a table, it adds a helper column, sorts on it and deletes it.

Why does Oda ask before sorting in Accept edits?

A sort moves the rows of your data. In Accept edits it runs without a card only when every filled cell holds what Oda wrote in this chat.

Why are some of my rows hidden after Oda's reply?

Oda filtered the range or table, which hides the rows that do not match. Ask Oda to clear the filters, or use the filter buttons in the header row.

Why are values that break the new rule still in the cells?

Excel keeps the values already there when validation is set, and marks nothing. Oda names those cells in its reply; ask it to change them if you want.

Why did Oda add a comment when I asked for a note?

Your version of Excel has no notes for add-ins, as in Office 2021 and Office 2024, so a comment stands in for the note.

Can Oda mention a colleague in a comment?

No. Mentions are not supported. Oda adds the comment as plain text, and you can mention people in Excel yourself.

Does deleting conditional formatting remove the Show on sheet highlight?

Yes, on the range Oda deletes the rules from. The approval card says so before it runs.

Can Revert turn undo a sort or a filter?

No. To undo a sort, use Ctrl+Z in an up-to-date Excel in Microsoft 365 or in Excel on the web, or a snapshot sheet made before it. To undo a filter, ask Oda to clear it.