How to Sort Data in Excel for Mac

Edited 18 hours ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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Sorting data in Excel for Mac is an essential skill that helps organize data in a meaningful order. Sorting makes it easier to find, analyze, and visualize data. Whether you're sorting a list of names, numbers, or dates, it can simplify your task and make it easier to extract meaningful information. In this guide, we'll cover everything you need to know about sorting data in Excel for Mac, which is for users with any level of expertise in Excel.

Understanding the basics of sorting

Before diving into more complex functions, it is essential to understand the basic sorting functionalities that Excel for Mac offers. Sorting can be done in ascending or descending order, and it can be done on a single column or multiple columns.

1. Ascending order: This means arranging the data from smallest to largest, or A to Z. For numbers, this means sorting from the lowest value to the highest value.

2. Descending order: This is the opposite of ascending order. It arranges the data from largest to smallest or Z to A. For numbers, it sorts from the highest value to the lowest value.

Single column sorting

Sorting a single column is a common need, and Excel for Mac makes it quite simple. Here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Open Excel for your Mac and load the spreadsheet you want to sort.
2. Click any cell in the column you want to sort.
3. Go to the menu bar at the top and click “Data” to open the Data menu.
4. You will see options labeled "Sort Ascending" (AZ) and "Sort Descending" (ZA). Choose one based on your sorting need.

Once you choose "Sort Ascending" or "Sort Descending," Excel will sort the data in the entire column in the order chosen. If your data has adjacent columns, Excel will assume that all the data in that row is part of one record, and it will sort all those rows together accordingly.

Example of single column sorting

Suppose you have a list of names in column A:

• John
• Alice
• zen
• Mary

If you want to sort these names in ascending order, you need to follow the steps given above. The sorted list will be like this:

• Alice
• John
• Mary
• zen

Sorting multiple columns

When you're dealing with a large dataset with many columns, you may need to sort the data by more than one column. For example, if you have a dataset with student names, grades, and ages, you might want to sort students first by grade and then by age.

Steps to sort multiple columns

1. Select the entire range of data, including the columns you want to sort.
2. Go to the "Data" menu at the top of Excel.
3. Select "Sort." This option opens a dialog box where you can create custom sort rules.
4. In the “Sort” dialog box, you will see options to specify the columns to sort by. Select your primary column. If sorting by grade, select “Grade”.
5. Set the order. Select "AZ" for ascending or "ZA" for descending, then click OK.
6. To sort by another column, click "Add level" and select the second column you want to sort by (for example, "Age").

Example of sorting on multiple columns

Imagine you have the following table:

| Name | Grade | Age |
,
|john |b |16 |
|Alice |A|15 |
|Zen |B|17 |
|mary |c|16 |

You want to sort students by grade and then by age. When sorted according to the steps mentioned above, the resulting table looks like this:

| Name | Grade | Age |
,
|Alice |A|15 |
|john |b |16 |
|Zen |B|17 |
|mary |c|16 |

Advanced sorting options

Excel for Mac also provides advanced sorting options that can be accessed from the Sort dialog box. This is especially useful when dealing with complex datasets.

Sorting with custom lists

Custom lists allow you to sort data that doesn't fit into the usual alphabetic or numeric patterns. For example, if you have a column of days of the week ("Monday," "Tuesday," etc.), and you want to sort them by week instead of alphabetically.

1. Select the range of cells you're working with.
2. Go to "Data" and select "Sort."
3. In the Sort dialog box, select "Order" and choose "Custom List."
4. Select "New List" and enter your custom order (e.g., Monday, Tuesday, ..., Sunday) and click "Add".
5. Your data will now be sorted according to the custom list order.

Sorting with cell color

Sorting data using cell colors can help analyze data better. You can do it like this:

1. Open the Sort dialog box through the "Data" menu.
2. Under "Sort On," select "Cell Color" instead of Value.
3. Choose the color order by clicking the dropdown under "Order."

Example of sorting using cell colors

Consider a list of tasks to monitor (red for urgent, yellow for medium, green for done). Sorting by color gives immediate visual cues to priorities.

Things to keep in mind while pruning

Sorting is a powerful tool, but it must be used with caution. If the data is spread across multiple columns, it's important to make sure you're selecting the entire dataset. Here's what you should keep in mind:

• If not all data is selected, the sort function may break the integrity of the row, causing data mismatches.
• Check for hidden columns or rows as they may not be sorted correctly with the rest of the data.
• Keep in mind that sorting changes the dataset, so it may be useful to keep a copy of the original data.

Troubleshooting common sorting issues

Sorting in Excel sometimes doesn't work as expected. Here are solutions to common problems:

1. Data isn't sorting as expected: Make sure you've selected the correct or entire range and unfreeze any panes that might affect visibility.
2. Case-sensitive sort: Excel sorts case-insensitively by default. You must adjust the settings for a case-sensitive sort under Sort Options.
3. Affecting the sort order by blank cells: Move blank rows to the end of the data; Excel may treat blank cells as inconsistent during sorting.

Data sorting in Excel for Mac can transform disorganized data into a neatly organized structure that is easier and faster to understand. By mastering sorting - whether simple or advanced - users can better retrieve information and maintain consistent records. The skill of sorting can be developed over time, and once understood, it becomes an instinctive part of data handling in Excel.

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