Sort does not recognize the header row

[Notbefore10]

I encounter this problem in only one of my worksheets. Others are fine.

When I select the upper left data cell (a formatted date cell) the sort
does not recognize the header row 1, even though the sort window is set
to recognize a header row. The 3 options for the sort order hierachy
show the contents of the header row cells, not the column letters. It is
as if Excel is selecting the column headers as the header row, rather
that the first row of data.

I can get around it by inserting a blank row 2 beneath the header row,
but I would prefer not to have to do this.

The header row is 58.5 height.

Any clues?

Thanks for you help.
Rose

 

[Guest]

In my experience, that is what happens when Excel recognises the header row?
If there is no header row, or if Excel then, as you put it, do not recognise
the header row, you will see the column letters in your option boxes?

 

[Notbefore10]

If I click on the data cell in A2 (the blank row) or in A3 (the first
data row) then the column letters show in the options box.

If I delete the blank row A2, then Excel does not recognize the header
row and the options show the text data in the header row, not the column
letters.

I hope that helps.

Thanks,
Joan.

 

[Guest]

Hi Joan

You are quite correct, Joan. If you have a blank row, and you click on
that, then do Data, Sort, the option box will reflect the Column nr - Column
A, Column B, Column C or whatever.

You have a couple of options here.

Have a data range with Column Headers, such as eg Customer, Street,
Building, Suburb etc. Make this bold, and Excel will recognise it as a
header row
Create a range name of the entire data range, including the header row. Say
your Header row is row 1, and your data range is A2:H30, then A1:H30 and
create your range name. If you now click on say A1, then Data Sort, you will
see the relevant Header in the options box. The option stating that your
data has a header row, will be ticked. If not, tick it.

You should not have empty rows in your data range.

You could decide not to have a header row. This means that Row 1 will
contain data, iso a description. Again, select A1:H30 and create your range
name. If you now do Data Sort, and the option box shows that you have a
header row, change this option to No header row, and the first option box
will show Column A, or whatever.

 

[Notbefore10]

The real problem here is that my brain was apparently not engaged at the
time. As you know, sometimes the sort options list the column letters,
but sometime they list the column names taken from the header row. I am
not sure why there is this difference. I'll figure that out another
time.

My column headers in this worksheet contain a lot of text. It gets
scrunched in the little sort options window and I did not recognize in
the mess of text, that it was actually listing the text contents of the
column headers cells. Duh!

Live and learn.

Thanks for trying to help. Much appreciated.