Sort problems
 

I have a Excel 2003 spreadsheet of some 2700 people. I periodically will
sort the spreadsheet based on data in certain columns. Some colums are flags
used to tell me certain things about a person. Everything works fine until I
happen to remove a flag from a certain person. Then, sorting using the same
columns as sort criterion, the individual with a cleared flag still comes out
in the same order as if the cell had never been cleared of data. Any clues
here?
Thanks, Ken MacDonald

Sort problems
 

What's in the Flag column, and the other columns that are used in the sort?
Can you give an example of a few records, and how you sort them?



Ken MacDonald wrote:
I have a Excel 2003 spreadsheet of some 2700 people. I periodically will
sort the spreadsheet based on data in certain columns. Some colums are flags
used to tell me certain things about a person. Everything works fine until I
happen to remove a flag from a certain person. Then, sorting using the same
columns as sort criterion, the individual with a cleared flag still comes out
in the same order as if the cell had never been cleared of data. Any clues
here?
Thanks, Ken MacDonald


--
Debra Dalgleish
Excel FAQ, Tips & Book List
http://www.contextures.com/tiptech.html

Sort problems
 

The cells in question will usually contain a "Y" or be blank. I use the
Data Sort option specifying a specific column and then usually the last name.
This way all those with a Y will come out together, which is what I want.
Only if I remove the "Y" and resort, the person with the "Y" removed still
comes out on the list exactly where he/she came before. I hope this answers
your questions.

Thanks, Ken MacDonald

"Debra Dalgleish" wrote:

What's in the Flag column, and the other columns that are used in the sort?
Can you give an example of a few records, and how you sort them?



Ken MacDonald wrote:
I have a Excel 2003 spreadsheet of some 2700 people. I periodically will
sort the spreadsheet based on data in certain columns. Some colums are flags
used to tell me certain things about a person. Everything works fine until I
happen to remove a flag from a certain person. Then, sorting using the same
columns as sort criterion, the individual with a cleared flag still comes out
in the same order as if the cell had never been cleared of data. Any clues
here?
Thanks, Ken MacDonald


--
Debra Dalgleish
Excel FAQ, Tips & Book List
http://www.contextures.com/tiptech.html

Sort problems
 

When you sort, do you use the Flag column as the first 'Sort by' field?

Ken MacDonald wrote:
The cells in question will usually contain a "Y" or be blank. I use the
Data Sort option specifying a specific column and then usually the last name.
This way all those with a Y will come out together, which is what I want.
Only if I remove the "Y" and resort, the person with the "Y" removed still
comes out on the list exactly where he/she came before. I hope this answers
your questions.

Thanks, Ken MacDonald

"Debra Dalgleish" wrote:


What's in the Flag column, and the other columns that are used in the sort?
Can you give an example of a few records, and how you sort them?



Ken MacDonald wrote:

I have a Excel 2003 spreadsheet of some 2700 people. I periodically will
sort the spreadsheet based on data in certain columns. Some colums are flags
used to tell me certain things about a person. Everything works fine until I
happen to remove a flag from a certain person. Then, sorting using the same
columns as sort criterion, the individual with a cleared flag still comes out
in the same order as if the cell had never been cleared of data. Any clues
here?
Thanks, Ken MacDonald


--
Debra Dalgleish
Excel FAQ, Tips & Book List
http://www.contextures.com/tiptech.html





--
Debra Dalgleish
Excel FAQ, Tips & Book List
http://www.contextures.com/tiptech.html

Sort problems
 

Yes and here are some sample records being sorted:

Wickham Pamela Lynn 103 Juniper Pl Carey OH 43316 1356 419 396 3019 Y
Grandillo John 4377 County Hwy 44 Upper
Sandusky OH 43351 419 294 1481 Y Y
Halm Shirley 651 Riverview Dr Upper
Sandusky OH 43351 9023 419 294 4380 Y Y

Once pasted, it is not easy to see the problem, but under "Juniper" and
"419" in the first record there is no "Y", whereas there is one in the other
two records. Instead of the first record being in the same sorted order as
before (as I incorrectly stated before) it is now the first record in the
sorted group, whereas it should have dropped out altogether. The second
criterion is the last name, so it should have come somewhere near the end of
the 2700 records instead of being the very first records of the sorted group.



"Debra Dalgleish" wrote:

When you sort, do you use the Flag column as the first 'Sort by' field?

Ken MacDonald wrote:
The cells in question will usually contain a "Y" or be blank. I use the
Data Sort option specifying a specific column and then usually the last name.
This way all those with a Y will come out together, which is what I want.
Only if I remove the "Y" and resort, the person with the "Y" removed still
comes out on the list exactly where he/she came before. I hope this answers
your questions.

Thanks, Ken MacDonald

"Debra Dalgleish" wrote:


What's in the Flag column, and the other columns that are used in the sort?
Can you give an example of a few records, and how you sort them?



Ken MacDonald wrote:

I have a Excel 2003 spreadsheet of some 2700 people. I periodically will
sort the spreadsheet based on data in certain columns. Some colums are flags
used to tell me certain things about a person. Everything works fine until I
happen to remove a flag from a certain person. Then, sorting using the same
columns as sort criterion, the individual with a cleared flag still comes out
in the same order as if the cell had never been cleared of data. Any clues
here?
Thanks, Ken MacDonald


--
Debra Dalgleish
Excel FAQ, Tips & Book List
http://www.contextures.com/tiptech.html





--
Debra Dalgleish
Excel FAQ, Tips & Book List
http://www.contextures.com/tiptech.html

Sort problems
 

Perhaps there's a space character in the Flag column, instead of a blank
cell. That would make it sort to the top of the list.

Ken MacDonald wrote:
Yes and here are some sample records being sorted:

Wickham Pamela Lynn 103 Juniper Pl Carey OH 43316 1356 419 396 3019 Y
Grandillo John 4377 County Hwy 44 Upper
Sandusky OH 43351 419 294 1481 Y Y
Halm Shirley 651 Riverview Dr Upper
Sandusky OH 43351 9023 419 294 4380 Y Y

Once pasted, it is not easy to see the problem, but under "Juniper" and
"419" in the first record there is no "Y", whereas there is one in the other
two records. Instead of the first record being in the same sorted order as
before (as I incorrectly stated before) it is now the first record in the
sorted group, whereas it should have dropped out altogether. The second
criterion is the last name, so it should have come somewhere near the end of
the 2700 records instead of being the very first records of the sorted group.



"Debra Dalgleish" wrote:


When you sort, do you use the Flag column as the first 'Sort by' field?

Ken MacDonald wrote:

The cells in question will usually contain a "Y" or be blank. I use the
Data Sort option specifying a specific column and then usually the last name.
This way all those with a Y will come out together, which is what I want.
Only if I remove the "Y" and resort, the person with the "Y" removed still
comes out on the list exactly where he/she came before. I hope this answers
your questions.

Thanks, Ken MacDonald

"Debra Dalgleish" wrote:



What's in the Flag column, and the other columns that are used in the sort?
Can you give an example of a few records, and how you sort them?



Ken MacDonald wrote:


I have a Excel 2003 spreadsheet of some 2700 people. I periodically will
sort the spreadsheet based on data in certain columns. Some colums are flags
used to tell me certain things about a person. Everything works fine until I
happen to remove a flag from a certain person. Then, sorting using the same
columns as sort criterion, the individual with a cleared flag still comes out
in the same order as if the cell had never been cleared of data. Any clues
here?
Thanks, Ken MacDonald


--
Debra Dalgleish
Excel FAQ, Tips & Book List
http://www.contextures.com/tiptech.html




--
Debra Dalgleish
Excel FAQ, Tips & Book List
http://www.contextures.com/tiptech.html





--
Debra Dalgleish
Excel FAQ, Tips & Book List
http://www.contextures.com/tiptech.html