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Chazzs's avatar
Chazzs
Copper Contributor
Apr 06, 2019

Sorting with a Custom List Bug

I need to sort grades in order, e.g., A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, etc.

 

Normal sort places has the order B, B-, B+, and using the custom list with the grades in perfect order results in, A-, B+, B-, C+,C-, A, B, C, D, F.  It somehow places all +/- grades first and then the others.

 

Is there any workaround?  I would expect a custom list to dictate the order of sorting.

 

I'm using Excel for Mac 2011.

 

Thanks,

Chazzs

excel
Excel on Mac

4 Replies

  • SergeiBaklan's avatar
    SergeiBaklan
    Diamond Contributor
    Apr 06, 2019

    Chazzs , on Windows it sorts correctly if add custom list from from File->Options->Advanced (imported from column E here)

    Perhaps something similar for Mac, not sure

    • Chazzs's avatar
      Chazzs
      Copper Contributor
      Apr 06, 2019

      SergeiBaklan 

      Thanks Sergei.  I did a little more investigating.  When I TYPE in random grades and sort with a custom list it's correct, but when I copy and past a list of grades off of a website the sorting is incorrect.  Something is being copied from the webpage that is confusing the sorting.  I'll see if I can save it as a text file and then try a new sort.  Interesting.

       

      Chazzs

      • Chazzs's avatar
        Chazzs
        Copper Contributor
        Apr 06, 2019

        SOLVED!!!!!

        When a table is copied from a webpage it needs to be Paste Special as Unicode Text.  This strips whatever malicious formatting is hiding in each cell, and  now can be sorted correctly with a custom list. Whew.

         

        Chazzs

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