More sort options - do they exist?

[shaunl]

Hi everyone,
I have a worksheet where I have to sort data in four columns, yet excel
provides the options (Data > Sort) to only sort 3 columns.

Are there options to sort through more columns?

I need to be able to sort in the order of the four columns and the file
can be found here -
http://www.waratahs.com.au/DrawsandCompetitions/TooheysNewCup/TNC_Ladder-DOWNLOAD.xls
The data to be sorted is between B5-O16 and then sorted in the
following order:
1. PTS - Descending
2. W - Descending
3. L - Ascending
4. % - Descending

How do I do this? Any help would be great.

Cheers

 

[Guest]

Shaunl,

Try sorting by your 4th criterion, then sort again by the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.
The integrity of the first sort (4th criterion) 4th criteria sort should be
retained.

HTH,
Ryan

 

[Dave Peterson]

If you're using xl2003 (and maybe xl2002, I don't remember), you could apply
data|Filter|autofilter to the range.

Then use the dropdown to sort by individual columns (do it 4 times in reverse
order of importance).

You could also float a rectangle over the header in each column and use a macro
to sort by that column (again, you'd have to do it 4 times in reverse order of
importance).

But Debra Dalgleish has some setup code and code to do the work:
http://contextures.com/xlSort02.html

 

[Pete_UK]

Another way is to join two or more columns together in a helper column
(using &) and then sort using the helper column - e.g. your first two
columns, where the sort order is descending. If they are text values
you may want to make them fixed length by adding spaces at the end, and
if they are numeric you may need to add leading zeros to retain the
same number of digits.

Hope this helps.

Pete

 

[shaunl]

hi guys,
many many thanks.

The first option of sorting the fourth column first and then th
remaining three seems to work. However I won't know for sure until
get deeper into processing the data on a weekly basis.

I will be giving the file from http://contextures.com/xlSort02.html
run and try that as it looks like a great option.

I shall let you know how i go.

cheers
shaun in sydne