Sorting a list so the right thing is at the top
Put a list in order — biggest first, oldest first, alphabetical — without the rows coming apart.
People are right to be wary of sorting. There is a way of doing it that scrambles a list beyond repair, and it is only one press away from the way that works perfectly.
A row is a set of things that belong together: this date, this description, this amount. Sorting must move whole rows. If you sort one column on its own, that column shuffles and the others stand still, and now every amount belongs to the wrong bill.
Sorting changes the order. Filtering changes what you can see — and nothing else. It is the safest thing in a spreadsheet, and it is the one people are most nervous of, because rows disappearing looks a great deal like rows being deleted.
Key points
- Sort a list without the rows coming apart.
- Keep the headings at the top where they belong.
- Hide rows temporarily with a filter, and bring them all back.
What to remember
- Choose the whole list first. Check the headings box. Then sort.
- Undo is the answer to almost every spreadsheet fright. Press it before you press anything else.
- Filter to look, then clear the filter. It never changes the sheet, only the view.
Try this
In any list you keep — even a short one — choose the whole thing and sort it by the column you care about. Then press Undo and watch it go back. Doing that once takes the fear out of the button for good.
Practice: Sorting a list so the right thing is at the top. Your first lesson is free, with no account or card; the rest are part of a Lantern plan. Interactive lessons require JavaScript.