use a helper column (B?)
ib B1 enter = A1
in b2 enter =A1 & "-1"
copy down as far as you want
select both columns and sort by column B

"muggeschiss" wrote:

hi
i need to sort a column with cell pairs, i.e. there is always a top cell
(name) and a bottom cell (data) which need to stay together. the sorting
should only consider the top cell.

A1: name1
A2: dataxdataxdatax
A3: name2
A4: dataydataydatay

any suggestions?