Sort the Data in an Excel Database

If you try to sort column "A" and the other columns don't follow or the title cells are part of the sorting, it is because Excel doesn't recognize your set of data as a database. Go back to the requirements page.

Let's say that you have a sales database with 4 fields (columns) starting in cell A1 (title row). The four fields are the date, the client, the product and the amount. Select cell A2 (first record or data row) and go to the icons on the toolbar and click on the A/Z one. The data is sorted by date beginning with the earliest. Go back to the toolbar and click on the other icon and the records are sorted by date beginning with the latest date. Notice that all the records with the same date are together one after the other.  What are the busiest days?

Select B2 and use the icons to sort the records alphabetically by client. All the records pertaining to one client are together. You can select them and copy/paste them on another sheet. Select C2 and use the icons to sort the records alphabetically by product.

You want to see the biggest sale? Select D2 and click on the icon Z/A and the first record is the one with the largest amount. The A/Z icon will sort the records starting with the smallest amount.

Now let's say that you want to sort the records by client AND by date to see how frequently a client buys. Click anywhere in the database. Go to the menu "Data/Sort" and the following window appears.