setting up spreadsheet

[Michelle]

using excel for sales contact log. i have row for each contact. I have
several columns for each contact (name, co, address, phone ... date of
contact, type of contact, notes. how do i format so i can add to the "date of
contact" "type of contact" "notes" columns AND keep related info with same
contact for sorting? I apologize, not sure how to even ask what i'm trying to
accomplish. thanks in advance!

 

[Gord Dibben]

If you have one row for each contact simply sort by contact.

Select all columns before sorting.

Not sure what you mean by "add to" etc.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[Michelle]

i don't know excel very well at all... i likely don't even have the file
created/set up properly... when you say "bottom of list" do you mean adding a
new row each time i have an update? that's what i've been doing, but sorting
by state column doesn't allow me to keep all of the rows together with that
one contact.

 

[Michelle]

not sure i set this up right to begin with. i have more than one row for each
contact. right now each time i call, visit or send a letter to this contact i
add a row to make a note of date/type of contact/notes (in separate columns).
how do i keep each of the rows i add with the same contact so when i sort by
state all rows stay together with the contact?

 

[energizerbuny]

How about including contact name in the "added" row of notes. Then sort on
name within state?

 

[Sean Timmons]

Well, you can sort by up to three columns at once. So, you would sort by
Contatcn name, then by State, or State then contact name..

 

[Michelle]

thx. great suggestion, but when i sorted by name w/state, rows for each
contact didn't stay together. seems like there s/b (and may very well be) a
way to format each following row to stay with "contact name row"? for
example, one row has 10 columns. the last 3 columns only should have endless
rows, but still be included in the main row for the "contact name"... i know
i'm not likely making sense. trying to pose a question but i don't know excel
(very obviously)... trying to avoid taking a class, not sure what to look up
under Help. quick tips/suggetions for initial setup?

 

[Sean Timmons]

OK, highlight all columns that contain data.. Go to Data > Sort... and select
your column header name for Conact Name/Ascending and State/Ascending. This
will sort by contact name first, then by state. If this does not work, your
contact names may have a space before them in some cases...

 

[Michelle]

that works well if i copy all data to each row. my problem then is how do i
count number of different contacts? i may have 50 rows, but all same contact
name. wish i knew how to set this up the proper way.

i have 12 columms of info in each row. each row represents one contact.
however, i may have 50 entries for only 3 of the 12 columns (date/type of
contact/notes) for that one contact (i add a note each time i am in touch
with that contact). what is the best way to format/enter so i can sort and
keep all rows for one contact together> can you group new rows together to
represent one contact? If so, then how do you count # of unique contacts?

 

[Michelle]

is there a way to show you the excel file so you can see how i've set it up?
i believe i don't have it set up the right way and that's the problem. the
ways you've told me to sort DO work, but i don't think i have my workbook set
up the right way.

 

[Gord Dibben]

Send it to me via my email.

gorddibbATshawDOTca

make changes to AT and DOT


Gord

 

[Michelle]

thank you! i did send the excel file i created.

Send it to me via my email.

gorddibbATshawDOTca

make changes to AT and DOT


Gord

 

[Sean Timmons]

Good deal. I was going to suggest using Pivot Tables (Data > Pivot Table...)
and dropping your contact name into the row field, but perhaps Gord can do me
one better

 

[Michelle]

Thank you Sean and Gord! You have been most helpful.