If you select the wrong rows and columns, or select less than the full range of cells that contain the information to sort, Microsoft Excel cannot arrange your data as you want. If a subset of cells is selected, only the selection is sorted.
Which sorting is not possible in Excel?
The most common reason for data not sorting correctly is because of the space before the text. Many users who use it encounter this problem. Text preceded by a space is sorted in ascending order at the top and descending at the bottom. Try to fix that and it will work.
What can you sort in Excel?
To sort a range:
- Select the range of cells you want to sort. …
- Select the Data tab on the ribbon and then click the Sort command.
- The Sort dialog box appears. …
- Decide on the sort order (ascending or descending). …
- When you are happy with your selection, click OK.
- The cell range is sorted by the selected column.
Why can’t I sort and filter in Excel?
If the Filter button is greyed out, check if your worksheets are not grouped. You can tell if this is the case by looking at the title bar, which shows the filename at the top of the screen. If you can see your filename group, you currently have spreadsheets grouped.
Why can’t I sort alphabetically in Excel?
The fastest way to sort alphabetically in Excel is: select any cell in the column you want to sort. On the Data tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click AZ to sort in ascending order or ZA to sort in descending order.
Can’t Excel sort merged cells?
General Solution
- Select the entire area you want to sort.
- In the Orientation group on the Home tab, select the Orientation dialog box launcher.
- Select the Alignment tab and uncheck Merge Cells.
- Choose OK.
Why doesn’t Excel sort correctly?
Problems with sort order of Excel numbers This happens because Excel has decided that the numbers are actually text and so it sorts the text. Just as words are sorted by their letters, numbers are sorted by digits instead of value.
Can columns be sorted in Excel?
Select a cell in the column you want to sort. On the Data tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click Sort . In the Sort dialog box, under Column, in the Sort by or Then by box, select the column that you want to sort by a custom list. Under Order, select Custom List.
What is Pivot in Excel?
A PivotTable is a powerful tool for calculating, summarizing, and analyzing data, allowing you to see comparisons, patterns, and trends in your data. Pivot tables work slightly differently depending on the platform you’re using to run Excel.
How to enable sorting and filtering in Excel?
To add a filter in Excel
- On the Data tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click the Filter button.
- On the Home tab, in the Editing group, click Sort & Filter > Filter .
- Use the Excel filter shortcut to enable/disable filters: Ctrl+Shift+L.
How to solve sorting problems in Excel?
Troubleshooting sorting problems
- Make sure there are no hidden rows or columns.
- Use a single line for headings. …
- If headings were sorted in the data, at least one column was probably unheaded.
- Column data must be of the same type. …
- If you sort on a column that contains a formula, Excel recalculates the column after the sort.