The sort comes first. You can see this by using a small list of data.
For example, in A1:A4 enter 1, 2, 3, and 4, and in B1:B4 enter
=RAND(). Next, copy the values in B1:B4 to D1:D4. Copy/paste as
values only, not formulas. Now sort A1:D4 by column B. You'll see that
the order of the elements in D are sorted, and then new values are
calculated in B. The new values in B are not (necessarily) in sorted
order, but values in D are.



Cordially,
Chip Pearson
Microsoft Most Valuable Professional,
Excel, 1998 - 2010
Pearson Software Consulting, LLC
www.cpearson.com



On Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:32:40 -0400, "James Silverton"
wrote:

Hello All!

I have been using a sort on a helper column of random numbers [generated
by RAND() ] to randomize a data set but I notice that the column of
random numbers changes when I do the sort. Can any expert tell me if the
sort or the recalculation occurs first?