How do I sort entire spread sheet. Names w/data

[Guest]

I've been trying to sort my spread sheet. It is a attendance sheet. I what
to have the names in alphabetical order and thier attendance correspond with
them.
I've tried everything. I've used and tried every sort in the help menu but
all I get are error message saying the merge cell need to be the same size.
Or similer messages.
It was so much easier when I had used the old Excel before I installed
MSOffice.
Please help.

 

[RagDyer]

*Unmerge* your cells.

You can use "Center Across Selection" instead, which looks almost identical
.... display wise.

Select the cells, then:

<Format> <Cells> <Alignment> tab,
And expand the "Horizontal" window and click on
Center Across Selection.

The use of Merged cells causes more trouble then it's worth.
--
HTH,

RD
==============================================
Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit!
==============================================

 

[David McRitchie]

I doubt that Excel changed.

If you have only one cell selected, Excel will expand that the
current range Ctrl+Shift+* which stops at an empty column
and/or an empty row. So it works enough to be helpful but not
well enough because sooner or later you will destroy your data
because of it.

Generally you want to select all cells on the worksheet before
invoking the sort, then use Data, Sort, and when picking
your columns pay careful attention to whether you have a header
row included in the range or not.

If you don't choose whether you have a header row or not, Excel
will make a guess for you based on changes in Font, or checking if
use of constants and formulas is consistent with rest of data. Knowing
that is what Excel does -- it really doesn't work as well as it should, but
works more than it fails.

If you really want to live dangerously you can select a cell in the
column you want to sort then use Ctrl+A in any version before 2003
or use Ctrl+Shift+SpaceBar in any version, which will keep the
active cell intact and then use the ascending or descending sort
arrow on the toolbars. It seems to always make the wrong choice
of whether or not I have headers. Don't use the gray button above
the row numbers it is not the same as Select all as it will change
the active cell to the upper left cell shown.

If you want to seek disaster you select a cell in the active sheet
and press the sort arrow and risk your data.

More information on sorting
. http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/sorting.htm

 

[David McRitchie]

Read everything but that little phrase about merged cells. See Rag Dyer's
answer.

 

[Max]

Just to add on a little to:

*Unmerge* your cells.

To do this quickly for the entire sheet
Press CTRL+A
Click Format > Cells > Alignment tab
Click / re-click the box for "Merge cells" until it's clear > OK