How to sort data w/ formulas?

[Speedmaster]

Hey guys,

I'm trying to sort several columns and rows in a worksheet. I want to
sort it by my 'totals' column which is actually derived via a simple
formula.

For example, the value displayed in the cell might be '48', but the
actual contents of the cell are: "=COUNTIF(Full_List_QA!F2:F401,
Sums_QA!E9)".

I can't get it to work the way I expected to at all. Is there a trick
to this or a simple technique I'm not doing?

All help and pointers to info appreciated. ;-)

Thanks!

Chris
http://amateureconblog.blogspot.com/

 

[Tom Ogilvy]

Sorting should sort on the displayed value but I suspect your formulas should
be like

=COUNTIF(Full_List_QA!$F$2:$F$401,
Sums_QA!$E$9)

or

=COUNTIF(Full_List_QA!$F$2:$F$401,
Sums_QA!E9)

 

[Speedmaster]

Thanks very much Tom! I'll try that.

What does adding the dollar signs to the formulas do or mean?

Thanks again.

Chris

 

[pgarcia]

Excel accepts cell references in what are called absolute and relative
ranges. Absolute ranges have a $ character before either the column portion
of the reference and/or the row portion of the reference. Relative ranges do
not use the $ character. The $ character indicates to Excel that it should
not increment the column and/or row reference as you fill a range with a
formula or as you copy a range. For example A1 is a relative range, while
$A$1 is an absolute range. If you enter =A1 in a cell and then fill that cell
down a column, the '1' in the reference will increment in each row. Thus, the
formula in row 50 would be =A50. However, if you enter =$A$1 in a cell and
fill down, the range reference will remain $A$1 -- it will not increment as
you fill or copy down a column.

 

[BCClocks]

I have a similar problem, I believe. I'm trying to sort a couple of columns,
the first with an alpha descriptor and the 2nd with a value created by a sum
formula. When I sort, the alpha column sorts fine but the sum formula column
does not change, so the values no longer align with the descriptor. How can
I get them to sort, maintaining their relationship?