How to Sort Things in Google Sheets? Mastering Organization

Sorting data in Google Sheets is an essential skill for anyone who uses spreadsheets to manage and analyze data. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or simply someone who likes to keep track of their finances, sorting data is a crucial step in making sense of your information. In this article, we’ll explore the various ways to sort things in Google Sheets, from simple to advanced techniques, and provide you with the tools and knowledge you need to become a master of data sorting.

Why Sort Data in Google Sheets?

Data sorting is an important step in data analysis because it allows you to organize your data in a way that makes sense for your needs. When your data is sorted, you can quickly and easily find specific information, identify patterns and trends, and make informed decisions. Sorting data can also help you to:

• Identify duplicate records
• Remove unnecessary data
• Organize data for reporting
• Make data more readable

Basic Sorting in Google Sheets

The most basic way to sort data in Google Sheets is to use the built-in sorting feature. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Select the range of cells you want to sort
2. Go to the “Data” menu and select “Sort range”
3. In the “Sort range” dialog box, select the column you want to sort by
4. Choose the sorting order (ascending or descending)
5. Click “Sort” to apply the sort

Alternatively, you can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + S (Windows) or Command + Shift + S (Mac) to sort the selected range.

Sorting Multiple Columns

If you want to sort data by multiple columns, you can do so by selecting multiple columns in the “Sort range” dialog box. To do this:

1. Select the range of cells you want to sort
2. Go to the “Data” menu and select “Sort range”
3. In the “Sort range” dialog box, select the first column you want to sort by
4. Click the “Add another sort column” button
5. Select the second column you want to sort by
6. Continue adding columns until you’ve selected all the columns you want to sort by
7. Choose the sorting order (ascending or descending) for each column
8. Click “Sort” to apply the sort

Advanced Sorting Techniques

While the basic sorting feature is useful, there are times when you need to sort data in more complex ways. Here are some advanced sorting techniques you can use:

Sorting by Formula

You can sort data by a formula by using the “Sort range” dialog box and selecting the formula as the sorting column. To do this: (See Also: How to Make Spaces Bigger in Google Sheets? Easily Increase Your Visibility)

1. Select the range of cells you want to sort
2. Go to the “Data” menu and select “Sort range”
3. In the “Sort range” dialog box, select the column that contains the formula you want to sort by
4. Choose the sorting order (ascending or descending)
5. Click “Sort” to apply the sort

Sorting by Conditional Formatting

You can also sort data by conditional formatting by using the “Format cells if” option in the “Conditional formatting” dialog box. To do this:

1. Select the range of cells you want to sort
2. Go to the “Format” menu and select “Conditional formatting”
3. In the “Conditional formatting” dialog box, select the format you want to apply
4. Click the “Format cells if” button
5. Select the condition you want to apply (e.g. “Greater than”, “Less than”, etc.)
6. Enter the value you want to apply the condition to
7. Click “OK” to apply the format

Sorting Data by Date and Time

Sorting data by date and time is a common task in Google Sheets. Here are some tips for sorting data by date and time:

Sorting by Date

To sort data by date, you can use the “Sort range” dialog box and select the column that contains the date. To do this:

1. Select the range of cells you want to sort
2. Go to the “Data” menu and select “Sort range”
3. In the “Sort range” dialog box, select the column that contains the date
4. Choose the sorting order (ascending or descending)
5. Click “Sort” to apply the sort

Sorting by Time

To sort data by time, you can use the “Sort range” dialog box and select the column that contains the time. To do this:

1. Select the range of cells you want to sort
2. Go to the “Data” menu and select “Sort range”
3. In the “Sort range” dialog box, select the column that contains the time
4. Choose the sorting order (ascending or descending)
5. Click “Sort” to apply the sort

Sorting Data by Text

Sorting data by text is a common task in Google Sheets. Here are some tips for sorting data by text: (See Also: How to Find the Slope on Google Sheets? Mastering the Formula)

Sorting by Alphabetical Order

To sort data by alphabetical order, you can use the “Sort range” dialog box and select the column that contains the text. To do this:

1. Select the range of cells you want to sort
2. Go to the “Data” menu and select “Sort range”
3. In the “Sort range” dialog box, select the column that contains the text
4. Choose the sorting order (ascending or descending)
5. Click “Sort” to apply the sort

Sorting by Custom Order

To sort data by a custom order, you can use the “Sort range” dialog box and select the column that contains the text. To do this:

1. Select the range of cells you want to sort
2. Go to the “Data” menu and select “Sort range”
3. In the “Sort range” dialog box, select the column that contains the text
4. Choose the sorting order (ascending or descending)
5. Click the “Custom sort order” button
6. Enter the custom sort order in the format “value1, value2, etc.”
7. Click “Sort” to apply the sort

Recap

In this article, we’ve covered the various ways to sort things in Google Sheets, from basic to advanced techniques. We’ve also covered some tips and tricks for sorting data by date and time, as well as sorting data by text. With these skills, you’ll be able to organize your data in a way that makes sense for your needs and make informed decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I sort data in Google Sheets?

A: To sort data in Google Sheets, select the range of cells you want to sort, go to the “Data” menu, and select “Sort range”. In the “Sort range” dialog box, select the column you want to sort by, choose the sorting order (ascending or descending), and click “Sort” to apply the sort.

Q: How do I sort data by multiple columns?

A: To sort data by multiple columns, select the range of cells you want to sort, go to the “Data” menu, and select “Sort range”. In the “Sort range” dialog box, select the first column you want to sort by, click the “Add another sort column” button, select the second column you want to sort by, and continue adding columns until you’ve selected all the columns you want to sort by. Choose the sorting order (ascending or descending) for each column and click “Sort” to apply the sort.

Q: How do I sort data by formula?

A: To sort data by formula, select the range of cells you want to sort, go to the “Data” menu, and select “Sort range”. In the “Sort range” dialog box, select the column that contains the formula you want to sort by, choose the sorting order (ascending or descending), and click “Sort” to apply the sort.

Q: How do I sort data by conditional formatting?

A: To sort data by conditional formatting, select the range of cells you want to sort, go to the “Format” menu, and select “Conditional formatting”. In the “Conditional formatting” dialog box, select the format you want to apply, click the “Format cells if” button, select the condition you want to apply (e.g. “Greater than”, “Less than”, etc.), enter the value you want to apply the condition to, and click “OK” to apply the format.

Q: How do I sort data by date and time?

A: To sort data by date and time, select the range of cells you want to sort, go to the “Data” menu, and select “Sort range”. In the “Sort range” dialog box, select the column that contains the date or time you want to sort by, choose the sorting order (ascending or descending), and click “Sort” to apply the sort.