I know there is a way to have a spreadsheet sort the information you add in
to it when you save the spreadsheet. However, I cannot find the path that
leads me to this option.

How do I do that?

"Dena" wrote in message
...
I know there is a way to have a spreadsheet sort the information you add in
to it when you save the spreadsheet. However, I cannot find the path that
leads me to this option.

How do I do that?

Sort of wondering out loud, but....how about a macro that runs when the
sheet is closed?

Dena-
There is no built-in function that does this for you. However as Doug
K's post suggests, you can instruct Excel to perform tasks (in a macro)
when certain spreadsheet events occur, such as opening the file,
closing the file, etc.

Do you know how to record macros?

Dave O

Hi Dave,

No, never run a macro before. Is there a wizard that can walk me through it?

"Dave O" wrote:

Dena-
There is no built-in function that does this for you. However as Doug
K's post suggests, you can instruct Excel to perform tasks (in a macro)
when certain spreadsheet events occur, such as opening the file,
closing the file, etc.

Do you know how to record macros?

Dave O

Some background info: a macro is a type of program that runs within
Excel. (You can run macros in Word and Access too, but let's
concentrate on Excel for now). When you perform a function on your
spreadsheet, such as sorting, you are following certain steps: choose a
range to sort, choose a column to sort on, etc. Excel allows you to
*record* those steps and save them in a macro, so instead of slogging
through all the steps every time, you can simply instruct Excel to run
your Sort macro. Excel then runs the little program and ta-da, your
data gets sorted.

Macros can be tricky because they will do EXACTLY what you tell them to
do, so if you make a mistake when you record it, that error will be
repeated when you run the macro. So you have to be very careful when
you record, or learn to edit the macro- which is likely to be VERY
tricky.

If you'd like to try it, take the file you're working on- I'm guessing
you're at work and would rather not accidentally delete information-
and click File Save As and rename the file to Dena Test File.xls or
something similar. That way you can practice all you'd like and not
delete stuff.

In your saved file, click Tools Macro Record new macro, and enter a
name for your macro or use the default name provided and click OK.
You're recording now: do all the steps you usually do to sort your
data, for instance. When you've performed the sort, click Tools
Macro Stop recording. The macro is saved- but you have to click File Save to permanently save the changes to the file and the macro.

Now, change some of the data you sorted- make some obvious changes.
Then click Tools Macro Macros and highlight your macro, and select
Run. You'll see the screen flash as Excel sorts your data.

Let me know how it goes!

"Dave O" wrote in message
ps.com...


Macros can be tricky because they will do EXACTLY what you tell them to
do...

.....and it also does "it" WHEREVER you told it to when you record the macro.
So, if you select a group of cells, but later, the range you want to work on
gets larger or smaller, you'll need a way for the macro to know that. One
method is to name the range of cells, and then edit the macro so instead of
looking for A1 through B12, it looks for a named range called "SortArea", or
some such thing. Named ranges are immensely valuable. Select a group of
cells, then click Insert, Name, Define. Your imagination may tell you some
ways for using this. It's especially handy for making formulas easier to
read.