How to Sort Alphabetically in Google Sheets?
Sorting data within defined order in Sheets can be a powerful tool for organizing and analyzing information. Whether you're working with a list of business items, goods, import-export data, sorting from A to Z or even vice versa can help you find what you need quickly and efficiently. In this tutorial, we will show you the basic options of sorting names with figures, covering various scenarios, and providing you with helpful tips along the way.
Ready? 👀 Then let’s keep going!
Sorting Data in a Single Column
As you may already be working in Sheets, we will skip the intro of how to create a document on Google Drive. Yet, you are welcome to check our previous tutorials and seek the topics you are interested in :)
Firstly, let’s see how to sort out the data if we have only one column. As an example, if you are working in business, namely trade or e-commerce, you often may need to sort suppliers or TM’s. Thus, let us sort out suppliers from A to Z.
1. Open the document with your content or create one. Select the column you want to sort by clicking on the letter at the top.
2.👉 Click on the Data tab in the menu.
From the dropdown menu, select Sort range, then Sort range by column (From A to Z). Pay attention that Sheets will define what column you are sorting. As you see below we see the Sort range by column C.
3. It automatically will sort out the column. See the results.
Sorting Multiple Columns
Now let’s assume you have to sort out several columns within a sheet to see how many items you got from each supplier.
1. Select the range of columns you want to sort by clicking and dragging across the column letters. We are going under the same method, only choosing two columns. Pay attention: don’t choose a header.
2. 👉 Click on the Data tab in the menu.
From the dropdown menu, select Sort range, then Sort range by column (From A to Z). Now see the result!
It’s an easy task! We did that together! 🎉
Advanced Sorting
To use advanced sorting in alphabetical order in Google Sheets, start by selecting the range of cells you want to sort. This could be a single column or multiple columns. Next, go to the Data menu and click on Sort range – Advanced Range Sorting Options.
This will open a dialog box where you can customize the sorting options.
In the dialog box, you will find a dropdown menu that allows you to choose the column you want to sort by. If you want to sort by multiple columns, you can add additional sorting rules by 👉 clicking on the Add another sort column button. This feature is useful when dealing with data that requires sorting by more than one criterion.
In our case, we do not need to add another sorting column, as we want the quantity to match the right supplier. We’ll choose column C and click Sort.
We’ll get the same results as we had with the previous method.
Common Mistakes and Troubleshooting Tips
Sorting data in spreadsheets is usually an easy task for a person who works with documents, but here are some common mistakes you might encounter along with their solutions:
Unintended Sorting of Headers or Empty Cells
To avoid including headers or empty cells in your sorting range, make sure you select only the range of data you want to sort.
Incorrect Selection of Sorting Range
Double-check that you have selected the correct range of cells for sorting. If you include unrelated data in your selection, the sorting results may not be as expected.
Sorting Issues with Special Characters or Numbers as Text
When sorting columns with special characters or numbers stored as text, Google Sheets may sort them in an unexpected order. To ensure the correct sorting, convert the column to the appropriate data type before sorting.
Advanced Sorting Features in Google Sheets
Apart from basic sorting, Google Sheets also offers some advanced sorting features. Let’s see what can be done!
Sorting by Color
If you've used conditional formatting to color-code your data, you can sort by color to group similar items together. To do this, click on the Data tab in the menu, select Sort sheet by color, and choose the desired color to sort by.
Sorting by Date or Time
When working with date or time data, Google Sheets can sort them chronologically. Simply select the column containing date or time values and use the sorting options as mentioned earlier.
Sorting by Text Length
To sort data based on the length of the text, choose Sort from the Data tab and select Sort range by column [column letter]. In the Sort by section, choose Text length.
Of course, all features depend on the system updates and whether you are using the latest version of Google Sheets.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Here are some often searched Q&A that can dispel your doubts!
Q1: Can I undo a sort in Google Sheets?
A: Yes, you can undo a sort in Google Sheets by pressing Ctrl + Z or using the Undo (reverse) button in the toolbar.
Q2: Can I sort data across multiple sheets in Google Sheets?
A: No, Google Sheets does not currently have a feature to sort data across multiple sheets simultaneously. You need to sort each sheet separately.
Q3: Can I sort data in a specific week or month?
A: Yes, you can sort data for a specific week or month by converting the data to date format and then sorting it as mentioned earlier.
Q4: Can I sort only a part of the data instead of the entire column?
A: Absolutely! If you want to sort a specific range within a column, select that range and follow the previous steps. Google Sheets will only sort the selected range and leave the rest of the data untouched.
Overall, Google Sheets' sorting feature enhances productivity and data management by allowing quick and effective organization of information. Whether you are working on a small project or handling large datasets, this feature ensures that your data is sorted logically and efficiently.
We hope you liked our tutorial and can try this feature in a real case. We wish you good luck and don’t forget to follow our Tips and Tutorials!)
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