Excel Sort & Filter

[patrickstar]

I wish to Sort & Filter an Excel spreadsheet I am working on. One of the columns shows a numeric total. I wish to have my spreadsheet run from the largest total at the top to the lowest at the bottom in order to clearly show the row with the highest total on the top row, with the lowest figure on the bottom. I can't work out how to set Sort & Filter to do this as it is not picking up the largest number in its drop down options. Any guidance appreciated. Thank you

[chelle7272]

Are the cells formatted to numbers? it works for me if they are?

[Old_Geezer]

Is it not a case of simply highlighting the whole data table and choosing the data option sort, using the relevant column ?

[patrickstar]

Hi chelle7272. I am not an Excel whizz so unsure. I have around 25 columns, of which 6 are numerical. Two of the columns figures have numbers from a risk matrix with the a third showing associated multiplied figure of the previous two columns. It is from this column I am trying to get the whole spreadsheet to be sorted by, i.e. The row with the highest number on top then decreasing down. When highlighting the spreadsheet and selecting Sort & Filter and Custom Sort (Sort by / Values / Largest to Smallest) the Sort by doesn't give me the highest figure which to chose as shown on the spreadsheet. Probably as clear as mud but is frustrating not being able to do this! Thank you.

[Old_Geezer]

chelle has a point. Maybe this largest number to see isn't formatted as a number. Alternatively to reformatting, is there not a tick box somewhere to treat anything that looks like a number as a number ?

[chelle7272]

I'm not a whizz either but you could try highlighting the column you are sorting and formatting the cells to number. you should get the format option by right clicking after highlighting

[chelle7272]

I did check the sort window for that OG and didn't see an option.. but as I said I'm no expert...

[Old_Geezer]

Well I have version 2003 and no expert either :-)


Use a different column to sort on ? http://datapigtechnologies.com/blog/index.php/sorting-numbers-and-text-together/

[patrickstar]

Thank you both. You are both geniuses in my eyes. Sorted!

[chelle7272]

Glad to help patrickstar :)