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Column Sort in Excel

Article byJeevan A Y
Reviewed byDheeraj Vaidya, CFA, FRM

How to Sort Your Column Data in Excel? (Step by Step)

Follow the Steps to Sort Column in Excel

  1. For Example, Select the data. Select means do not select all the data but select as per the below image. Select only the columns B to M.


    Column Sort Excel Step 1

  2. Now go to Data and select Sort. (You can press ALT + D + S)


    Column Sort Excel Step 2

  3. Now click on Options.


    Column Sort Excel Step 3

  4. Once you click on the Options button, it will open up the below dialogue box. Select Sort Left to Right.


    Column Sort Excel Step 4

    Once select this option to excel, understands the data from right to left instead of top to bottom.

  5. Now click on the Sort by drop-down list in excel. You will not see any header; rather, it shows only Row1, Row2, Row3 like this.


    Column Sort Excel Step 5

  6. Understand our requirements here. We need to sort the data month-wise. Our month is in the first row. So select Row 1 as the option. Since we are sorting the data month-wise from Jan to Dec, it becomes oldest to newest. So select Oldest to Newest under the Order section.


    Column Sort Excel Step 6

  7. Click the OK button; it will sort the sort from Jan to Dec.


    Column Sort Excel Step 7

Example to Sort Column in Excel

I was into an interview, and I have given data from the hiring manager to sort to the data based on the heading. He has given me the below data asked me to sort the data. The first column should be Revenue, the second one should have Cost, and the final column should be Profit.

Column Sort in Excel Step 1

I was just thinking for a minute. He did not ask to sort the data alphabetically; if that was the case, it would have been a walk in the park for me; rather, he is asked me to sort differently.

After thinking for a minute or two, I remembered the option called Custom Sort. In custom sort, we can mention the headings which one to come first, which one to come second, and so on.

  • Step 1: Select the data.
Step 2
  • Step 2: Press ALT + D + S and Go to Options.
Step 3
  • Step 3: Select Sort Left to Right.
Step 4
  • Step 4: Click on Ok and under Sort by option, select the Row1.
Step 5
  • Step 4: Since we need to so custom sort, we cannot simply select A to Z, but we need to select the Custom List option.
Step 6
  • Step 5: Under the custom list, we can mention our order of the sort. Under List Entries, I have mentioned my order.
Step 7
  • Step 6: Click on OK; it will show the Order list in the Sort dialogue box.
Step 8
  • Step 7: Click on OK. It will sort the data according to the values I have given.
Step 9

Things to Remember

  • It is important to select the options and set our sorting method as Sort right to the left; otherwise, it will sort it as rows type.
  • It is very useful to sort in case of arranging headings alphabetically.
  • There is no option of My Data Has Header in column sort, unlike in rows sorting.
  • We can sort the dates from oldest to newest.

This has been a guide to Column Sort in Excel. Here we discuss how to Sort a Column in Excel using an example and downloadable excel template. You may also look at these useful excel tools –

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