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Bruce_Sunderland's avatar
Bruce_Sunderland
Copper Contributor
Apr 03, 2024

Sorting in Excel with different formats in a column.

I have a spreadsheet with multiple columns but want to sort the spreadsheet on one column that has numbers with preceding zeros e.g. 000511 or 018952 and numerals with text e.g.017866A10 and text e.g.TM0004. Is this possible?

  • Bruce_Sunderland 

    If you have numbers with leading zero, like 000511, they are also texts. So, you may sort everything in alphabetical order as texts.

    If something different it's better if you share the sample and indicate desired result.

  • mathetes's avatar
    mathetes
    Silver Contributor

    Bruce_Sunderland 

    I have a spreadsheet with multiple columns but want to sort the spreadsheet on one column that has numbers with preceding zeros e.g. 000511 or 018952 and numerals with text e.g.017866A10 and text e.g.TM0004. Is this possible?

     

    My question to you: Have you tried it yourself? Doing so would have answered your question of whether or not it's possible.

     

    Basically, yes, it is possible. BUT, there are other questions that you should be asking yourself, and Excel may ask you in the form of the following dialog box that appeared when I tried it with a variety of numeric and text entries

     

     

    So my suggestion would be that you think about how you want the sort performed and go ahead and do it.

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