How to Create a Sortable Column in an Excel Workbook

Sorting columns and rows is as much a part of Excel as the data used within it. The ability to view data from different perspectives -- whether greatest to least, or alphabetically -- is where Excel shines brightest. It’s not just a tool for collecting data, but viewing it as well. And the latter, arguably, is even more important.

And to view that data properly, you need options.

1. Open an Excel workbook or create a new one. 

2. Highlight the column you wish to sort.

3. Click the Filter icon under the Sort & Filter heading. Notice the drop down arrow placed to the right of the column heading.

4. Click the arrow to sort the data how you’d like -- smallest to largest, or vice versa -- and press OK. 

5. Click Sort in the pop-up warning. 

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