How to sort in excel by column

Answer

To sort data in Excel by column, follow these steps:

1. Select the column or range of data
   Click the letter at the top of the column you want to sort, or select the specific range of cells. Ensure that all related data in adjacent columns is included if you want to maintain the row integrity.

2. Open the Sort options

   • On Windows, go to the Data tab on the ribbon and click Sort A to Z for ascending order or Sort Z to A for descending order.

   • On Mac, go to the Data menu and select Sort Ascending or Sort Descending.

3. Sort with multiple criteria
   To sort by more than one column:

   1. Click Sort in the Data tab.

   2. In the pop-up, choose the Column you want as the primary sort.

   3. Select the Sort On option (Values, Cell Color, Font Color, or Conditional Formatting Icon).

   4. Choose the Order (A to Z, Z to A, or Custom List).

   5. Click Add Level to include additional columns for secondary sorting.

4. Ensure headers are recognized
   Check My data has headers if your column includes header titles. Excel will exclude this row from sorting to keep the headings intact.

5. Apply the sort
   Click OK. The data will reorder according to your specified column(s).

Example:
Suppose you have a table with Employee Name, Department, and Salary. To sort by Salary from highest to lowest:

• Select the Salary column.

• Go to Data → Sort Z to A.

• Excel rearranges all rows so that employees with the highest salary appear at the top.

Notes:

• Sorting a single column without selecting the entire table can misalign data. Always select all relevant columns unless intentionally sorting one column independently.

• Custom lists can be used to sort non-alphabetical sequences, such as months or priority levels.

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