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sort individual columns

I have a table with 5 columns of data. How can I sort just one of the columns in ascending order, without affecting the other columns? This was easily done in Excel.

Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Jan 24, 2010 9:05 AM

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10 replies

Jan 24, 2010 4:35 PM in response to gjf12

If necessary, there is a way to do it. The trick is to pull your table apart, sort, then put it back together.

Select the column you want to sort by. Drag up and away and it will become a separate table. Sort it. Drag it back where it was. When you see two solid blue lines between two columns, let go and it will drop into place there.

If you do this a lot, you might consider keeping it as a separate table and abut it to the rest of the table so it all looks like one.

Jan 24, 2010 6:12 PM in response to gjf12

Hi gif12,
Welcome to Numbers discussions.

Here is why I also believe it is a good design choice. Many times users of spreadsheet sort using one or more columns but not highlighting the entire data series then later find their data is quite messed up. Yes, that was user error which none of us is immune. Having the entire data set sorted eliminates that from happening.

In the past I'd be requested to work on a spreadsheet where data series wasn't correctly matching. During the investigation I found the operator had sorted by one or more columns but not all causing jumbling of their data; you could well imagine the mess. Rather than fixing it we retrieved their previous backup. Of course that took time as well but much less time updating data than fixing the mess. That person never made that mistake again.

For your comment, "Seems pretty basic to me", no isn't a basic thing, it is only something you desire. Do remember this is a user to user forum not a Apple tech support forum.

Now, if you feel strongly about your desire send your feature request directly to Team Numbers. Here's how: Click at the top left Numbers > Provide Numbers Feedback.

Cordially,
RicD

Jan 24, 2010 6:50 PM in response to Ric Donato

Which reminds me that I should add the following note to my post:

While the single column will be sorted, everything else will remain the same. All the references in the rest of the table will be rejiggered so they continue to point to whatever they referenced before. If C1 used to point to B1 and B1 gets sorted to B6, C1 will point to B6. If that's the desired outcome then great. If not, it's time to take a look at the INDIRECT and ADDRESS functions.

Jan 25, 2010 12:02 AM in response to gjf12

gjf,

If you find that pulling a column out of the table, sorting, and reinserting the column as described takes a bit too much "technique", as it can especially if you're a bit fatigued, you can do this to achieve the same result. Click on the Column Label of the column you wish to sort separately and then Edit > Copy. Click off the table and Edit > Paste. Sort. Click on the Column Label of the sorted column and Edit > Copy. Click on the Column Label of the Original Column and Edit > Paste Values.

It's the same result without having to manipulate the mouse pointer so precisely.

Jerry

Jan 25, 2010 7:16 AM in response to Jerrold Green1

As I am a lazy guy, I built this scheme :

User uploaded file

The values which must be sorted aren't in the main table but in the auxiliary 'to_sort' one.

In the main table the corresponding values are grabbed in the column 'sorted' by the simple formula:

=OFFSET(to_sort :: $A$1,ROW()-1,0)

When I sort the to_sort table, the sorted values are automatically reported in the main table.

Yvan KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France) lundi 25 janvier 2010 16:15:39

sort individual columns

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