Can someone who knows MS Excel answer this question?

Question

I have a spreadsheet in which I have to enter people's first and last names. I'd like to put each in a separate column so that I can sort by either one. But is it possible that if I sort by first name, I'll lose the accompanying last name or vice versa? Will the sort function keep things together or do I need to somehow lock those two columns together?

Answer 1

if you use the "auto sort" feature, excel will take an educated guess at what needs to be sorted.  Basically if all rows and all columns are togehter without any blanks in between, excel will sort that block of data together.  But if excel encounters a blank row or a blank column somewhere in your list of items, it assumes that's the end of the data and doesn't sort anything past that.  So as long as you don't have blank columns or rows in your data, the autosort feature works just fine.

if you want to really ensure excel is sorting all the data together, highlight your data the go to Data > Sort and manually choose how you want it sorted, etc.  This option also gives you more control (you can sort on mulitiple columns, ascending and/or descending, etc.)

Answer 2

The sort function will keep it all together. Make sure you highlight all the data though... or if you don't say "Yes" when it asks you to "expand the data"

Answer 3

make a table

Answer 4

if you select all columns you want to sort, and go to the Data menu, choose filter > auto filter.

If you do this with all columns selected, you can sort one column of names and it will keep the corresponding names together!

Answer 5

Treat the information in a table format....e.g.

REF - Forename - Surname

001 - David - Hasslehoff

002 - Joe - Bloggs

you then have to options.......

1. use auto filter.

Highlight the row that contain the headers of the table by selecting the row number to the left........then goto, Tools>Filter> Auto Filter.

this will then provide a frop down that will allow you to do load of cool stuff with each table header. here's a link for some tips....http://www.contextures.com/xlautofilter0...

2. you can sort the data.

Highlight the information you required sorting (including the headers), and goto........Data>Sort.

a box will appear with options, you the just need to choose the header that applies to the sort, in your case Forename or Surname. the sorft function will take into account all the information you highlighted.

to change it back, sort by the REF header you now have.

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hope this helps.

DG.