Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 19, 2020)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365
Peter asked if it is possible to sort a range of cells, and just that range. In other words, not to sort entire rows or entire columns. The answer is a resounding "yes," Excel allows you to do the sorting rather easily.
As an example, let's assume you want to sort the cells in the range of C10:F40, based on the values in column D. To do this, follow these steps:
Figure 1. The Sort dialog box.
You can also sort by using the Sort Ascending or Sort Descending tools on the Data tab of the ribbon. The steps you follow are just a bit different:
Regardless of the technique you use, only the range of selected cells is sorted. All other information in the data table remains unaffected.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (11101) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Sorting a Range of Cells.
Professional Development Guidance! Four world-class developers offer start-to-finish guidance for building powerful, robust, and secure applications with Excel. The authors show how to consistently make the right design decisions and make the most of Excel's powerful features. Check out Professional Excel Development today!
If you keep track of IP addresses in an Excel worksheet, you probably already know that it is difficult to sort those ...
Discover MoreWhen you sort data in a worksheet, there are a couple ways you can do it. Using the simple way can result in ...
Discover MoreExcel is great at sorting information in a worksheet. Sometimes it can be a bit confusing as to how to set up the sort ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2020-09-19 05:04:50
Kiwerry
A big THANK YOU for this one Allen. I have often wondered whether there is a quick way of sorting a range by a column other than the leftmost one, and here it is!
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2023 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments