TYBCOM COMPUTER NOTES: Sorting Data in Excel (Sort Button and Sort Dialog Box)

Sorting Data: Sort Button

If you simply want to sort your data by one column from smallest to largest or largest to smallest, you can do so with one click.

Select a cell in the column used to sort
From the Data command tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click SORT SMALLEST TO LARGESTor SORT LARGEST TO SMALLEST

The selected column is sorted.

Using the Sort dialog box, you can create multi-level sorts that meet a variety of specifications.

1. Select a cell in the column you want to use to sort

2. From the Data command tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click SORT
The Sort dialog box appears.

To sort by ascending or descending values (i.e., alphabetically, numerically, time, or date)

c. In the Order pull-down list, select A to Z or Z to A
The data is sorted according to the selected order.

In the Sort by pull-down list, select the column you want to use to sort
EXAMPLE: select a column containing days of the week
In the Sort On pull-down list, select Values
In the Order pull-down list, select Custom List...
The Custom Lists dialog box opens

d. Select the custom list by which you want to sort
EXAMPLE: select Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday

In the Sort by pull-down list, select the column you want to use to sort
In the Sort On pull-down list, select the appropriate option
EXAMPLE: Select Cell Color

c. In the Order pull-down list, select a color and appropriate sort order
EXAMPLE: select Blue and On Top

b. In the Then by row of the Sort dialog box, select the additional sort options

OPTIONAL: To control how to sort lists of days or months, case-sensitive data, and orientation

c. Click OK

8. Click OK
The data is sorted.