SORTING in MS EXCEL

Sort criteria for a table are saved with the workbook such that you can reapply the sort
to that table every time you open the workbook. Sort criteria are not saved for a range of
cells. For multicolumn sorts or for sorts that take a long time to create, you can convert
the range to a table. Then, you can reapply the sort when you open a workbook.
In all the examples in the following sections, you will find tables only, since it is more
meaningful to sort a table.

Sort by Text
You can sort a table using a column containing text.
The following table has information about employees in an organization (You are able to
see only the first few rows in the data).

 To sort the table by the column title that contains text, click the header of the
column – Title.
 Click the Data tab.
 In the Sort & Filter group, click Sort A to Z
he table will be sorted by the column – Title in the ascending alphanumeric order.
Note − You can sort in the descending alphanumeric order, by clicking Sort Z to A. You
can also sort with case-sensitive option. Go through the Sort by a Custom List section
given below.

Sort by Numbers
To sort the table by the column ManagerID that contains numbers, follow the steps given
below −
 Click the header of the column – ManagerID.
 Click the Data tab.
 In the Sort & Filter group, click Sort A to Z

The column, ManagerID will be sorted in the ascending numeric order. You can sort in
the descending numeric order, by clicking Sort Z to A.

Sort by Dates or Times

To sort the Table by the column HireDate that contains Dates, follow the steps given
below −
 Click the Header of the column – HireDate.
 Click Data tab.
 In the Sort & Filter group, click Sort A to Z as shown in the screen shot given
below −

The column – HireDate will be sorted with the dates sorted from oldest to newest. You
can sort the dates from newest to oldest, by clicking Sort Z to A.
Sort by Cell Color
To sort the table by the column total marks that contains cells with colors (Conditionally
Formatted) −
 Click the Header of the column – Total Marks.
 Click Data tab.
 In the Sort & Filter group, click Sort. The Sort dialog box appears.

 Choose Sort By as Total Marks, Sort on as Cell Color and specify the color
green in Order. Click Add Level.
 Choose Sort By as Total Marks, Sort on as Cell Color and specify the color
Yellow in Order. Click Add Level.
 Choose Sort By as Total Marks, Sort on as Cell Color and specify the color Red
in Order.

The column – Total Marks will be sorted by the cell color as specified in the Order.
Sort by Font Color
To sort the column Total Marks in the table, that contains cells with font colors
(conditionally formatted) −
 Click the header of the column – Total Marks.
 Click Data tab.
 In the Sort & Filter group, click Sort. The Sort dialog box appears.
 Choose Sort By as Total Marks, Sort On as Font Color and specify the color
green in Order. Click Add Level.
 Choose Sort By as Total Marks, Sort On as Font Color and specify the color
yellow in Order. Click Add Level.
 Choose Sort By as Total Marks, Sort On as Font Color and specify the color red
in Order.
The column – Total Marks is sorted by the font color as specified in the Order.

Sort by Cell Icon

To sort the table by the column Total Marks that contains cells with Cell Icons
(Conditionally Formatted), follow the steps given below −
 Click the Header of the column – Total Marks.
  Click Data tab.
 In the Sort & Filter group, click Sort. The Sort dialog box appears.

 Choose Sort By as Total Marks, Sort On as Cell Icon and specify in Order.
Click Add Level.

 Choose Sort By as Total Marks, Sort On as Cell Icon and specify in Order.
Click Add Level.

 Choose Sort By as Total Marks, Sort On as Cell Icon and specify in Order.

The column – Total Marks will be sorted by Cell Icon as specified in the Order.
Sort by a Custom List
You can create a custom list and sort the table by the custom list.
In the table given below, you find an indicator column with title – Position. It has the
values high, medium and low based on the position of total marks with respect to the
entire range.

Now, suppose you want to sort the column - Position, with all High values on top, all low
values at bottom, and all medium values in between. That means the order you want is
low, medium and high. With Sort A to Z, you get the order high, low and medium. On
the other hand, with Sort Z to A, you get the order medium, low and high.
You can resolve this is to create a custom list.
 Define the order for the custom list as high, medium and low in a range of cells as
shown below.
 Select that Range.
 Click the File tab.
 Click Options. In the Excel Options dialog box, Click Advanced.
 Scroll to the General.
 Click Edit Custom Lists.
The Edit Custom Lists dialog box appears. The select range in worksheet appears in
the Import list from cells Box. Click Import.

Your custom list is added to the Custom Lists. Click OK.

The next step is to sort the table with this Custom List.
 Click the Column – Position. Click on Sort. In the Sort dialog box, ensure Sort
By is Position, Sort On is Values.
 Click on Order. Select Custom List. Custom Lists dialog box appears.
 Click on the High, Medium, Low Custom List. Click on OK.

In the Sort dialog box, in the Order Box, High, Medium, Low appears. Click on OK.
The table will be sorted in the defined order – high, medium, low.

You can create Custom Lists based on the following values −

 Text
 Number
 Date
 Time
You cannot create custom lists based on format, i.e. by cell / font color, or cell icon.

Sort by Rows
You can sort a table by rows also. Follow the steps given below −
 Click the row you want to sort the data.
 Click Sort.
 In the Sort dialog box, Click Options. The Sort Options dialog box opens.
 Under Orientation, click Sort from left to right. Click OK.

 Click Sort by row. Select the row.

 Choose values for Sort On and Largest to Smallest for Order.

The data will be sorted by the selected row in a descending order.

Sort by more than one Column or Row

You can sort a table by more than one column or row.
 Click the Table.
 Click Sort.
  In the Sort dialog box, specify the column by which you want to sort first.
In the screen shot given below, Sort By Title, Sort On Values, Order A – Z are chosen.

 Click Add Level in the Sort dialog box. The Then By dialog appears.
 Specify the column by which you want to sort next.
 In the screen shot given below, Then By HireDate, Sort On Values, Order Oldest
to Newest are chosen.
 Click OK.

The data will be sorted for Title in the ascending alphanumeric order and then by
HireDate. You will see the employee data sorted by title, and in each title category, in
the seniority order.