How to sort multiple columns in excel

Answer

To sort multiple columns in Excel, you use the Custom Sort feature. This allows arranging data in a specific order based on more than one column simultaneously.

Steps to Sort Multiple Columns

1. Select the Data
   Highlight the entire range of data you want to sort. Include all the columns that are part of the dataset to prevent misalignment.

2. Open the Sort Dialog Box

   • On Windows: Go to the Data tab → Click Sort.

   • On Mac: Go to the Data menu → Select Sort → Click Sort….

3. Add Levels for Sorting

   • Click Add Level to include additional columns for sorting.

   • The first level is the primary sort. For example, if sorting by Department, this will group all rows with the same department together.

   • The second level sorts within the first. For instance, within each department, you can sort by Employee Name alphabetically.

   • You can add more levels as needed for further granularity.

4. Choose Sort Order

   • Under Column, select the column to sort.

   • Under Sort On, choose Values (most common), Cell Color, Font Color, or Conditional Formatting Icon.

   • Under Order, select A to Z, Z to A, Smallest to Largest, or Largest to Smallest.

5. Apply the Sort
   Click OK to apply the multi-level sort. The data rearranges according to the defined hierarchy.

Example

Suppose you have a dataset with columns: Department, Job Title, and Salary. To organize the data:

1. Primary sort by Department (A → Z).

2. Secondary sort by Job Title (A → Z) within each department.

3. Tertiary sort by Salary (Largest → Smallest) within each job title group.

This will group employees by department, arrange their job titles alphabetically, and order salaries from highest to lowest within each job title.

Tips

• Ensure the data has headers. Excel uses headers to identify columns in the sort dialog.

• Use Ctrl + Z to undo the sort if the results are not as expected.

• Avoid selecting only a single column unless the dataset is independent, as it may misalign rows.

This method maintains the integrity of the dataset while enabling complex sorting across multiple columns.

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