How do I Use the MANUAL Sort Option in a Pivot Table?

[Ave]

Hello Everyone,

I don't often get to use pivot tables and have quite a large project to work
on.

My question is in regard to sorting items which are listed inside a field in
the PivotTable Field List. I have quite a few items inside a field called
LABEL and only need to display a few of them in my pivot table report. I
have selected the apporpriate items (all of them text), now I need to sort
these items but alphabetical sorting will not help. I see that there is a
"More Sort Options" when I click on the drop-down arrow next to my field name
(which happens to be called LABEL). When I click on this I get a SORT
window and the first option is "Manual (you can drag items to rearrange
them).

I cannot rearrange the items because when I click on one with the mouse and
attempt to move it nothing happens. There are no other ways that I can see
to physically move these items. Futher, HELP does not explain how to
physically move my text items, either. A web search brings up nothing - why
doesn't this work and why isn't this most helpful method explained better by
Microsoft?

You have no idea how irritating this is - I KNOW it's possible to move my
items within the field but can't seem to get any info on this option!

Can someone help me?

Thanks!!

 

[ShaneDevenshire]

Hi,

There are at least three ways to do this -
1. If you only need to rearrange a few items the Manual Sort options is ok,
here's how you use it. Click the cell containing the Item you want to move.
Slowly move your mouse along the top border of the cell on the right side
until you see a four-headed black arrow. It's very hard to get it right, but
keep trying until you see it. It appears at about 75% of the way to the
right and right over the border. When the mouse has this shape you can drag
to a new location.
2. Suppose you want to move the item titles Oranges down to where the item
Apples appears. Select the Apples item and type the word Oranges. When you
press Enter the Oranges will move. Spelling is critical.
- If you have a lot of items to put into a custom order then this is a
better way: Highlight all the items in the one field and copy them, move to
an empty area and paste them. Rearrange them here using standard copy and
paste or drag and drop techniques. Select the reordered list and choose
Office Button, Excel Options, on the Popular tab, click Edit Custom Lists,
click Import, OK, OK. Now place your cursor in the field you want sorted and
choose Home, Sort, Custom Sort, and choose More Options and uncheck Sort
automatically every time the report is updated. Open the First key sort
order drop down and choose the custom list you just created, click OK once
and choose Ascending, and click OK.

If this helps, please check the Yes button.