# Choosing What to Show

Choosing What to Show: Picking Columns: Select-Object, Tables and Lists: Format-Table and Format-List.

Updated: November 10, 2026

1. [Picking Columns: Select-Object](https://www.ask-codey.com/lessons/powershell-select-object) (Apprentice): Select-Object keeps only the properties you name with -Property, only the first or last few objects with -First and -Last, and with -ExpandProperty hands you one property's plain values, ready to save as a list.
2. [Tables and Lists: Format-Table and Format-List](https://www.ask-codey.com/lessons/powershell-format-output) (Apprentice): PowerShell shows each kind of object with a saved view of a few properties, Format-Table and Format-List show the ones you choose as a table or a list, Format-List \* shows every one, and a Format- command goes last because what comes out of it is for the screen, not for other commands.

Source: https://www.ask-codey.com/courses/powershell-in-depth/topics/powershell-choosing-what-to-show