How do I sort a column and retain the relationship to other data in the spreadsheet?

Question

How do I sort a column and retain the relationship to other data in the spreadsheet?

Maybe that's not the best way to express the problem ...

I have a spredsheet with two columns and 2390 rows.

Column 1 is a "record number" and Column 2 is a unique data point

When I sort by column 2 Column one stays static (e.g., the record number doesn't "follow" the unique data point.

I've tried sorting by by the "entire table" ... but it won't unless I pick a column ... and then we end up with the problem I've described.

Any suggestions?

Thanks for your assistance!

Bill Arnold

Numbers 3.1

Posted on Mar 14, 2014 12:39 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Jerrold Green1

Level 7

30,210 points

Mar 14, 2014 1:46 PM in response to William Arnold

Bill,

Look closely and see what is in the "Record Number" column. Sounds like a Function, ROW(), that is returning the row number, rather than plain/fixed data.

Jerry

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Answer 2

Mar 14, 2014 2:56 PM in response to Jerrold Green1

Jerry:

Thank you ...

Yes, you're correct. The "record #" is a simple formula (SUM= A1+1) copied and pasted in the column to create a sequential record number.

Following your lead here ... I created a third column ("C") and pointed that cell to the data in column "A" (e.g, column C row 2 = A2). That didn't work either.

Is there no way to do this other than hand input the sequential #s in "column A"? Please say it ain't so!

Thanks for you your help ...

Bill

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Answer 3

Mar 14, 2014 3:15 PM in response to William Arnold

Could you copy column A then "Paste Formula Results" into column C?

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Answer 4

Mar 14, 2014 3:38 PM in response to John De Banzie

John:

Please forgive the ignorance of those of us that use spreadsheets to do simple equations (and substitue for a dead simple database). I'm sure that to you the answer to my question was on the order of "DUH" ... You saved me a ton of hassel and a couple of hours of time .. Thank you for that!!

Bill Arnold

tucsonbil@cox.net

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