Sort

Sort

One Column | Multiple Columns

You can sort your Excel data on one column or multiple columns. You can sort in ascending or descending order.

One Column

To sort on one column, execute the following steps.

1. Click any cell in the column you want to sort.

2. To sort in ascending order, on the Data tab, click AZ.

Result:

Note: to sort in descending order, click ZA.

Multiple Columns

To sort on multiple columns, execute the following steps.

1. On the Data tab, click Sort.

The Sort dialog box appears.

2. Select Last Name from the 'Sort by' drop-down list.

3. Click on Add Level.

4. Select Sales from the 'Then by' drop-down list.

5. Click OK.

Result. Records are sorted by Last Name first and Sales second.

Sort by Color

In Excel 2007 or later, it's possible to sort data by color.

To sort data by color, execute the following steps.

1. Click any single cell inside a data set.

2. On the Data tab, click Sort.

The Sort dialog box appears.

3. Sort by Last Name (or any other column), sort on Cell Color (you can also sort on Font Color and Cell Icon), and select the green color for the first level.

4. Click 'Copy Level' two times and select the other colors.

5. Click OK.

Result.

Reverse List

This article teaches you how to reverse a list in Excel. For example, we want to reverse the list in column A below.

1. Enter the value 1 into cell B1 and the value 2 into cell B2.

2. Select the range B1:B2, click the lower right corner of this range, and drag it down to cell B8.

3. Click any number in the list in column B.

4. On the Data tab, click ZA.

Result. Not only the list in column B, but also the list in column A has been reversed.

Randomize List

This article teaches you how to randomize (shuffle) a list in Excel. For example, we want to randomize the list in column A below.

1. Select cell B1 and insert the RAND() function.

2. Click on the lower right corner of cell B1 and drag it down to cell B8.

3. Click any number in the list in column B.

4. On the Data tab, click ZA.

Result. A random list in column A (sorted on the random numbers above).