Outlook Sorting Question

[mborner]

I'm creating multiple columns in Excel 2007. For example; 10 rows in column "A", 10 rows in column "C" and 10 rows in column "E".

30 Items (cells) total.

What I'd like to do is sort them, A to Z, starting at 1A and ending at 10E.
Ic an't figure it out. I'm sure it's simple.
Thanks.

 

[richc46]

I should be able to help you with this, since I am proficient in excel.

The columns and rows are already numbered.

Under the home tab, and on the right sort and filter is what you need, for further sorting.
Give me more information, if this is not precisely, what you need.

 

[mborner]

Thanks, Rich. The Sort and Filter command is where I'm having issues. Seems I cannot sort more than one column at a time. With multiple columns selected, nothing sorts. I've tried "from column A" and then gone and selected "And then from column B" but it's a no go. I need the sorting to look like this;

 

[richc46]

I think that you may not using the custom sort function. Take a look at this and see if it fits your needs
Sort data by multiple columns in Excel 2007 | Excel Digest

 

[clunkfish]

Excel doesn't let you sort discontinuous blocks of data because it carries with it a significant risk of seriously messing up your data.

Are the columns between the columns you want to sort, empty? In your example, are columns B, D and F simply empty columns? If so, delete them, then sort the data as usual, then reinsert blank columns where you want them.

Hope this helps - though I may have misunderstood your question...

 

[richc46]

Clunkfish is correct. But using custom sort, you are able to sort the data as shown in the example that I sent you.

 

[clunkfish]

Clunkfish is correct. But using custom sort, you are able to sort the data as shown in the example that I sent you.

The method given in Richc46's excellent link still won't allow sorting of discontinuous blocks of data - in other words, it would still sort columns B, D and F as shown in the OP's example. If I understand correctly, the goal is to sort columns A, C, E and G but leave B, D and F untouched. As far as I know, that isn't possible (and for good reasons).

If B, D and F are empty, they can be sorted without changing anything; if they contain data, won't the values need to remain associated with other data in the same row, and thus have to be sorted anyway?

 

[mborner]

Thanks, clunkfish, for the update. To answer your question, no, columns B, D, and F are not empty, they contain numerical values. I don't want the numerical values sorted, though, just the alpha values.