Sort and filter table rows with Sort and AutoFilter while keeping your data intact.
How sorting and filtering work
Sorting and AutoFilter in Excel
Sorting puts the rows of a table in order by the values in a chosen column — ascending (A→Z, 0→9) or descending (Z→A, 9→0). The main rule: before sorting, select the whole table, not a single column. If you select only one column and confirm “Continue with the current selection,” the data in that column gets shuffled out of line with the neighboring columns — and the table is ruined.
A multi-level sort lets you set several criteria: first by department (the first sort key), then, within each department, by amount (the second sort key). Levels apply from top to bottom: first the first key, then the second, and so on.
AutoFilter hides rows that don't match a condition but doesn't delete them — the data stays in the file. The filter arrow in a column header turns into a funnel icon when a filter is active. You can filter several columns at once: each new filter narrows the results. Conditions depend on the data type: text, number (greater/less than, between), date (last month, today, and so on), or values picked from a list. To remove a filter, click Clear Filter or turn AutoFilter off.
Lesson notes
Sorting and AutoFilter in Excel
Sorting puts the rows of a table in order by the values in a chosen column — ascending (A→Z, 0→9) or descending (Z→A, 9→0). The main rule: before sorting, select the whole table, not a single column. If you select only one column and confirm “Continue with the current selection,” the data in that column gets shuffled out of line with the neighboring columns — and the table is ruined.
A multi-level sort lets you set several criteria: first by department (the first sort key), then, within each department, by amount (the second sort key). Levels apply from top to bottom: first the first key, then the second, and so on.
AutoFilter hides rows that don't match a condition but doesn't delete them — the data stays in the file. The filter arrow in a column header turns into a funnel icon when a filter is active. You can filter several columns at once: each new filter narrows the results. Conditions depend on the data type: text, number (greater/less than, between), date (last month, today, and so on), or values picked from a list. To remove a filter, click Clear Filter or turn AutoFilter off.