Size of filter sort box and open at 1st available row for new data.

[mobile]

I have 2 Minor but annoying problems that I'm trying to solve.
1) recently (probably after a Microsoft update) the depth of the filter sort box has shrunk.


I know that I can drag the corner to increase the size, but it always reverts to the small size at next use.
2) have merged 17 individual files into one table.
Every time I use the filter on this table for one of the 17 categories.
It's more often than not opening at the oldest entry at the top.
I then have to do a Fast scroll down approximately 1000 rows to get to the 1st row for new data entry.
it used to be with a single file that it always reopened at the position where I had last saved the file, but not now.
Using office 2013.