I need to sort a worksheet using 4 sort keys but I can't figure out how to do
that. Using the help was no help at all. I have Excel 2003. I would be
very grateful if someone could help me. Thanks. I don't actually use my
..net passport account so if you could email me at that
would be very helpful.

Try this:
http://www.officearticles.com/excel/...ft_excel .htm
*******************
~Anne Troy

www.OfficeArticles.com
www.MyExpertsOnline.com



"Brooke" wrote in message
...
I need to sort a worksheet using 4 sort keys but I can't figure out how to
do
that. Using the help was no help at all. I have Excel 2003. I would be
very grateful if someone could help me. Thanks. I don't actually use my
.net passport account so if you could email me at
that
would be very helpful.

Just sort by the most minor field first. Then sort your data using the other
three.

(You can do multiple sorts like this a bunch of times -- if you had to sort by
32 columns, for instance.)

Brooke wrote:

I need to sort a worksheet using 4 sort keys but I can't figure out how to do
that. Using the help was no help at all. I have Excel 2003. I would be
very grateful if someone could help me. Thanks. I don't actually use my
.net passport account so if you could email me at that
would be very helpful.

--

Dave Peterson

The technique is described in detail on pgs. 80 - 83 in my book "Excel Best
Practices for Business" (ISBN: 076454120X) - Sorting with more than 3 columns
(or rows).

Here is an excerpt from my book that explains the technique:

METHODOLOGY
Here are your steps when sorting by more than three criteria:
1. For your given set of data residing on a single worksheet, identify the
criteria (columns) you are using for you sort. Order these from the one
starting from the highest priority criteria to the lowest. Keep a tally of
the number of sort criteria available for sorting. Call this number "N." You
will identify sort criteria from 1 through N, with 1 being the criterion
having the highest priority and N, the lowest.
2. Select all the data on your worksheet that you will sort. Open your sort
dialog box. If N 3, place the criteria or column associated with N in the
third (bottom) entry of your sort dialog box. Place the criteria or column
for N-1 in the second (middle) entry of your sort dialog box. Place the
criteria or column for N-2 in the first (top) entry of your sort dialog box.
Assure that the Ascending/Descending attributes are accurately set for each
of the search criteria. Press the OK button.
3. You no longer need to consider additional sorting for the three criteria
you just sorted by from your list, so your new value for N is three less than
it was in Step 2. If your new value for N is still greater than 3, repeat
Step 2; otherwise, go to Step 4.
4. If the number of remaining sort criteria is three, place the third
criteria in the third (bottom) entry of your sort dialog box. Then place the
second criteria in the second (middle) entry of your sort dialog box. Then
place the first criteria (one having the highest priority) in the first (top)
entry of your sort dialog box.
If the number of remaining sort criteria is only two, place the second
criteria in the second (middle) entry of your sort dialog box. Then place the
first criteria (one having the highest priority) in the first (top) entry of
your sort dialog box. Clear the bottom entry (set it to €œnone€�).
If the number of remaining sort criteria is only one, then obviously place
the remaining criteria (one having the highest priority) in the first (top)
entry of your sort dialog box. Clear the middle and bottom entries (set them
to €œnone€�).
Assure that the Ascending/Descending attributes are accurately set for
each of the search criteria. Press the OK button.

The book explains it in detail and gives a worked out example. I hope this
helps.


"Brooke" wrote:

I need to sort a worksheet using 4 sort keys but I can't figure out how to do
that. Using the help was no help at all. I have Excel 2003. I would be
very grateful if someone could help me. Thanks. I don't actually use my
.net passport account so if you could email me at that
would be very helpful.