Microsoft Excel is a computer tool that makes it easy to organize and simplify data. It can be used to make spreadsheets, workbooks, graphs, and charts. Many companies require their workers to be able to Sort Data in Excel. This is especially true for administrative jobs or jobs that require reading and filing a lot of detailed documents.
This is very important for jobs that involve reading and writing. Putting prices in ascending order, alphabetizing a list of names, or putting times in order that aren’t in the right order are all examples of organizing data. All of these show how to sort data.
There are many benefits to learning how to sort in Excel, but the main one is that it will save you a lot of time by doing things automatically. This piece breaks down the steps needed to sort data in Excel and explains them.
What is Sorting in Excel?
Sorting is a tool in MS Excel that can help you put data in order. You can put a text column in either A-Z or Z-A order. We can sort a list of numbers either from biggest to smallest or from smallest to biggest. A date and time column can also be sorted from oldest to newest or from newest to oldest. Excel also lets you sort by a unique list or a format, like the colour of the cells, the font, or the set of icons. To obtain further instructions regarding this article, please visit the official website.
How to Sorting Data Across Multiple Columns
- Select all the cells that you want to sort.
- In the Data tab, click on the Sort button in the Sort and Filter group. This will open the Sort dialog box.
- In the Sort dialog, select the column that contains the dates you want to sort by.
- Choose the order in which you want to sort the dates (oldest to newest or newest to oldest).
- Click OK.
How to Sort Data in Excel
Check if your dates are in the correct format:
- Select the column that contains the dates you want to sort.
- Right-click the selected column and choose Format Cells.
- In the Number tab, check if the Date option is selected in the Category list. If not, select it.
- Verify that the format aligns with the date format you need.
- Click OK.
Convert text-formatted dates to the correct format using Text to Columns:
- Select the column that contains the dates you want to sort.
- In the Data tab, click on Text to Columns in the Data Tools group. This will open the Text to Columns dialog.
- Select the Delimited option in the first step.
- Click Next.
- In the next part, leave all the checkboxes unchecked.
- Click Next.
- Choose the desired date format from the dropdown list in the Date option.
- Click Finish.
Tips and Best Practices for Efficient Data Sorting
- Get rid of the empty columns and rows: Do not include empty lines in your data range.
- Format always the same: Make sure that all of the data in a column is formatted the same way. For example, make sure that all dates are formatted as dates and all numbers are formatted as numbers.
- Get rid of mistakes and contradictions: Fix any errors or missing information in your data before you sort it.
- Find the answer for sorting: Make sure you know which column(s) you want to sort by and which way (descending or rising) you want them to go.
- Use buttons on the keyboard: To quickly get to the “Sort & Filter” window, press Alt+A+S.
- Sort by more than one column: Use the “Add Level” button in the “Sort & Filter” windows to sort on more than one level.
- Sort that takes case into account: You can sort by case-sensitivity or case-insensitivity, based on what you need.
- Sort cells that can be seen: If you want to sort only visible cells, use the “Sort visible cells only” choice.
- Copy before you sort: If you want to keep the original data, copy and paste it somewhere else before you sort.
Final Words
Sorting data by date in Excel is an essential skill that can help you organize and analyze your information effectively. By following our step-by-step guide, you can easily sort your data by date and ensure accuracy in your analyses. We hope this article has been helpful to you. If you have any further questions, feel free to reach out. Happy sorting!
FAQs
To keep rows together, click the “Options” button and make sure “Sort top to bottom” is chosen. Check the box that says “Expand the selection.” When you click OK, your data will be sorted and rows will be instantly put together.
Click Sort in the Sort & Filter group on the Data tab to open the Sort pop-up window. In the drop-down menu next to Sort by, choose the first column you want to sort by. Pick Values, Cell Colour, Font Colour, or Cell Icon from the list of Sort On option
Click on the “Data” tab and then on the “Sort & Filter” option. Then, choose the group of cells that you want to sort first. To sort the data in ascending order, choose “Sort A to Z.” To sort the data in downward order, choose “Sort Z to A.”
