Sorting Data.... Help!!!!

[Darin Kramer]

Heres the problem ... (simple but long to explain..)

Col A, B, C, D, E are single columns
Col F,G are merged
Col H single column
Col I,J,K are merged
Col L,M,N are merged
Col O,P,Q are single columns

Data within Column D is one of 8 types.
Depending on users choice in Column D he/she would have got a different
set of choices in Column E

I have completed submissions - ie users have selected data from Column
D, and corresponding data from Col E. Thus I have one file (from lines 1
to say 200) with the users choices in it.

All I want to do is sort by Column D and then by Column E - Excel wont
do it because of the merged columns. If I unmerge the columns
formatting etc is destroyed (I would then need to re-merge them after
sort - but that is manual process, clicking each of 200 lines saying
merge (and its remerging col I,J,K and remerging L,M and N)

So is there any easy solns anyone can think of how to sort merged data?
(is there perhaps VBA that could go down Three columns, and then merge
cells on a row by row basis? )

Appreciate your Input Immensely!!!

I know I could manually autofilter col D and then Col E and copy and
paste into a new book for each of the choices - but that is a massive
task.

Regards

D

 

[Dave Peterson]

Another reason to hate merged cells!

You can add an icon to your favorite toolbar that makes it a little easier to
merge rows in a selection.

Tools|Customize|commands tab|format category
Look for "Merge Across"
and drag it to your favorite toolbar.

Then select Fx:Gy and click that button.

Then repeat with I:K and L:N.

===
If you get really industrious, you could record a macro when you did it manually
(all the stuff). Then just rerun that macro when you need to resort the data.

 

[Darin Kramer]

Thanks Dave - I am a firm hater of merged Cells!!!