Excel Sort By Number (Table of Contents)
Sort By Number in Excel
Storing details in the form of a bulleted list or paragraph adversely affects the clarity of data. A rectangular array of rows and columns provides an efficient structure for holding and managing the data. Moreover, it enables effective analysis. Therefore it is necessary to arrange the data in a tabular format.
The structure of a workbook is such that it allows data in a tabular format. In addition, it allows you to view the data in different ways by using the following features:
- Sort
- Filter
- Group
Today we will discuss the Sort By Number in Excel.
Sorting is a method that allows the user to order data. The textual data can be arranged in the alphabetical order or in reverse alphabetical order. The Numerical data can be arranged in the ascending order or in descending order. The date data can be arranged in oldest to newest order or in newest to oldest order. In addition we can sort the data on a single criterion or on multiple criteria.
Today, we will work on the Sort by Number in Excel.
How to implement Sort By Number in Excel?
Sort by Number in Excel is very simple and easy to use. This is the guide to Sort by Number Excel with Detailed Examples. In Excel, we can find the Sort option in two places:
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- Under File tab – under Editing Group – Click on Sort and Filter Dropdown Menu.
- Then Sort A to Z or Z to A for textual data.
- Then Sort oldest to newest or newest to oldest for Date data
- Then Sort largest to smallest and smallest to largest for Numerical Data.
- Under Data tab – under Sort and Filter Group
- Then Sort A to Z or Z to A for textual data.
- Then Sort oldest to newest or newest to oldest for Date data.
- Then Sort largest to smallest and smallest to largest for Numerical Data.
We can also use the Custom Sort option for the data sorted using multiple criteria. In Excel, we can find the sort option in two places:
- Under File tab – under Editing Group – Click on Sort and Filter Dropdown Menu – Click on Custom Sort.
- Under Data tab – under Sort and Filter Group – Click on Sort.
After this, A dialog box of Custom Sort will open as the following figure:
We will find three headings:
- Columns: We will find all the column headings of the table or range.
- Sort On: It will give us a description of the data on Values, Cell Color, Font Color, and Cell Icon.
- Order: We can also select the order smallest to largest or largest to smallest.
We can also use the following tabs:
- Add Level: To add one or more criteria.
- Delete Level: To delete the selected criterion or criteria.
- Copy Level: To copy an existing criterion or criteria.
Examples of Sort By Number in Excel
There are two types of Sorting:
- Single Level or one column sorting
- Multi-level or two or more columns sorting
Let’s understand the working of Sort by Number in Excel by some examples.
Sort By Number in Excel- Example # 1
Single level or one column sorting is sorting the data using one column.
In the above figure, sorting the data using Employee Basic Pay is single level sorting.
- Step 1: Select the data range from A2 to B12
- Step 2: Either Go to File tab – under Editing Group – Click on Sort and Filter Dropdown Menu – Click on Custom Sort.
Or
- Go to Data tab – under Sort and Filter Group – Click on Sort.
- Step 3: Now select the checkbox of the My data has headers so that the first row of the selected data of A2:B12 is taken as the header and not as data.
- Step 4: Now click on the Sort drop-down menu to select the column heading Employee Basic Pay.
- Step 5: Then under the Order drop down menu select Smallest to Largest.
- Step 6: Click on OK.
After all settings for Sort By Number in Excel, the result will appear as follows:
Sort By Number in Excel – Example # 2
- Step 1: Select the data range from A1 to G16
- Step 2: Either Go to File tab – under Editing Group – Click on Sort and Filter Dropdown Menu – Click on Custom Sort.
Or
- Go to Data tab – Under Sort and Filter Group – Click on Sort.
- Step 3: Now select the checkbox of the My data has headers so that the first row of the selected data of A1:G13 is taken as the header and not as data.
- Step 4: Now click on the Sort drop-down menu to select the column heading Book Category.
- Step 5: Then under the order drop down menu select A to Z or Z to A.
- Step 6: Then click on Add Level for adding other criteria.
- Step 7: Now click on the Sort drop-down menu to select the column heading Total Sales.
- Step 8: Then under the order drop down menu select Smallest to Largest or Largest to Smallest.
- Step 9: Click on OK.
After adding all settings for Sort By Number in Excel, the result will appear as follows:
Things to Remember
- Our data will get jumbled and reports will be incorrect if we do not sort the entire the data table or range.
- We have to select the check box, my data has headers so that Excel can understand the first row as the column heading and not as Data.
- We can sort the numerical values to Sort by Number in Excel as smallest to largest and largest to smallest.
- We can sort the textual values as A to Z or Z to A.
- We can sort dates by Oldest to Newest, Newest to Oldest.
- We can add many levels such as single-level or multi-level so that we can change or alter the date according to our requirement.
- We can sort only one color at a time with respect to sorting based on cell color or font color.
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