sorting 4 columns

[canyonhiker]

I'm trying to sort 4 columns, however sorting 3 is easy - when I try to do
the 4th it changes everything in the other columns and then they are no
longer correct

 

[Sheeloo]

First sort on first three column then sort only on the fourth column. Do
select all the columns together...

Example
If you want to sort the range A1:Z1000 then select the whole range...
Choose the three columns you want to sort on
Sort

If required, choose the range A1:Z1000 again then sort on the fourth column
only.

 

[Sheeloo]

See the answer under 'General Questions'...

Essentially sort on first three first then sort again on the fourth column.

 

[Joel]

Sort the 4th item first then go back and sort the other 3.

 

[Sheeloo]

Sorry for the wrong answer... It should be ...
Sort on 4th column first then on first three

In fact -
If you want to sort a list of more than three fields, you must sort multiple
times, with three or fewer fields at a time. Also, you must sort the fields
in the reverse order of their importance in the sort.

 

[Shane Devenshire]

Hi,

Here is another approach, suppose you want to short by columns A, B, C, D
where A is the most important and D is the least important (meaning the 4th
level), and suppose you have titles on row 1 and not data directly adjacent
to the sort area that you don't want sorted.

Put you cursor in any single cell of column D and click the Ascending Sort
button. Then put your cursor in C and repeat. Continue, ending with column
A. In other words sort once in each column working from the least important
to the most important.

In 2007 you can sort 64 levels deep with the Data Sort dialog box, which is
one of the many improvements to the sort area.