It seems like you're not performing the first step:
Select ALL of the data in the range, not just the column you want sorted.

Example
If you have data in the range A1:D100 and you want to sort that range by
Col_B in ascending order:

Select A1:D100
<data<sort
Sort by: Column B
Check: Ascending
Click the [OK] button

That would sort A1:D100 by Col_B, keeping the corresponding records
associated with each Col_B item together with the item.

Does that help? or am I missing something?
***********
Regards,
Ron

XL2002, WinXP


"BillyBob" wrote:

Thank you for your help Ron. When I go to Data - Sort - I do not seem to
have an option through which I can set the perameters. I am left with a
dialogue box which reads "lists sort by" and "then by" and "then by". When I
go into the pull down menus all I am given an option of is which columns to
sort. A "blue box" is evident on the data - but I don't know how to expand
this box to include the new data. When I try to expand the box it simplly
drops the old infomation on top of the new and overwrites it. So, the
question is how do I set source perameters - where do I need to look?

Thanks
BillyBob

"Ron Coderre" wrote:

BillBob:

If you want to sort a multi-column range of cells:

Select the entire range of cells
<data<sort
Set your sort parameters
Click the [OK] button.

If all of the relevant columns are not pre-selected, they will not sort with
the column you want sorted and you'll have out-of-sync mess.

Does that help?
***********
Regards,
Ron

XL2002, WinXP


"BillyBob" wrote:

When attempting to sort data, newly entered data seems to stay the same while
the old data sorts itself. I have one whole column that is now mismatched.
I am a newbie to this program so I am sure I am doing not doing something
basic.