When you add columns to the end, Excel does not always understand that the
new columns are an extension of what you already had. When you insert
columns, it has no issues.
There are a couple of ways you can approach this. If you are using Excel
2003, you can highlight your headers from A:BI and go to Data-List-Creat
List. When you add columns to the right of a list, Excel does know to add
the new columns to the list.
Or you can name the range you want sorted. If you select columns A:BJ and
give it a name like Entire_List then anytime you want to sort, just hit
Ctrl+G and select the name Entire_List. Now you can sort by the entire list,
and since we added column BJ (currently unused) to the range, then adding
columns after BI is faking Excel into thinking your inserting the columns in
front of column BJ.
Hope that helps.
-KC
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"Gillian72" wrote:

I've checked around this site and am unable to find my issue (of which I have
many. Sorry. Too personal.) Anyway, I work daily in a large spreadsheet
that has a growing number of rows and columns to BI (recently added from BA).
Now when I perform a sort, it only sorts from A - BA, with columns BC - BI
staying the same and all the data getting muck a muck. I can sort by
highlighting the specific cells (A - BI and 3 - 193). I'm wondering why the
Data - Sort doesn't automatically recognize the new columns. If I don't
highlight anything and go to Data - Sort, it has a range to BA. If I'm
clicked on a cell such as BG, it highlights only a segment of the sheet
(looks like column 88 to something and BD to BI).
If anyone can assist, that would be great.
Thanks!

Dave and KC,
Thank you so much for your quick options! Based on what you wrote, both
would work - by selecting the data first (definitely the safest) as well as
creating a list. After playing around a bit, I think I figured out why I was
having issues and it's thanks to you! Columns BB & BC were totally blank
except for the title. I entered in some dashes into these columns in the
first record, went to Data - Sort, and it grabbed all the columns. I will
probably continue to select the data but just wanted to put that out there in
case anyone else was experiencing this. I didn't test it on other columns
(such as A) but it appears to be working for me.
Thanks again!!!
:)

"KC Rippstein" wrote:

When you add columns to the end, Excel does not always understand that the
new columns are an extension of what you already had. When you insert
columns, it has no issues.
There are a couple of ways you can approach this. If you are using Excel
2003, you can highlight your headers from A:BI and go to Data-List-Creat
List. When you add columns to the right of a list, Excel does know to add
the new columns to the list.
Or you can name the range you want sorted. If you select columns A:BJ and
give it a name like Entire_List then anytime you want to sort, just hit
Ctrl+G and select the name Entire_List. Now you can sort by the entire list,
and since we added column BJ (currently unused) to the range, then adding
columns after BI is faking Excel into thinking your inserting the columns in
front of column BJ.
Hope that helps.
-KC
--
Please remember to indicate when the post is answered so others can benefit
from it later.


"Gillian72" wrote:

I've checked around this site and am unable to find my issue (of which I have
many. Sorry. Too personal.) Anyway, I work daily in a large spreadsheet
that has a growing number of rows and columns to BI (recently added from BA).
Now when I perform a sort, it only sorts from A - BA, with columns BC - BI
staying the same and all the data getting muck a muck. I can sort by
highlighting the specific cells (A - BI and 3 - 193). I'm wondering why the
Data - Sort doesn't automatically recognize the new columns. If I don't
highlight anything and go to Data - Sort, it has a range to BA. If I'm
clicked on a cell such as BG, it highlights only a segment of the sheet
(looks like column 88 to something and BD to BI).
If anyone can assist, that would be great.
Thanks!