Microsoft Excel Making Lists In Alphabetic Order?

Question

I am making a list of companies and I want to know how to make them in alphabetic order. thanks!

Answer 1

You can sort a column by clicking the "sort ascending" button on the tool bar. It has an A-Z with an arrow pointing down.

Click that and it will sort from A to Z.

Answer 2

Piece of cake.
-In row 1, type headings for your columns (example: Name, Address, City/State, Zip, Phone, FAX, etc.)
-In the name column, omit A, The, etc. Decide how you want to list the company name.
-If you want to code them (example: oneline, local, etc., create a column for "code" then enter your code for each company.
-If you want the headings to display as you scroll down, click in cell A2 and click Window, Freeze Panes.
-----Then, click File, Page Setup, Sheet
----- In the "rows to repeat at top" box type $1:$1.
When finished entering data, File, Save and give your file a name.

To sort alphabetically or any other way, click the "table select" button (left of A, above #1) - this will select the whole table.
- click Data
- click Sort
- click "header row" at the bottom left
- click the down arrow where it says "sort by" and select the heading by which you want to sort.
- when finished, you can leave it that way or resort.

Answer 3

Introduction
While Excel is primarily known for its strengths in working with spreadsheets and creating graphs, these versions of Excel have powerful features for data management as well. This is great news for those who do not wish to invest extra time (or money!) in learning another computer program to take care of their database needs.

What is a Database or List?
A database (called a list by Excel) is a collection of data organized so that it can be searched for information based on specified criteria. You can use database commands to (1) maintain your list by using a data form to display or edit a record; (2) organize your data by sorting alphabetically, numerically, or chronologically; (3) select and display a subset of your list by filtering the list; and (4) create specialized reports using automatic subtotals or PivotTables. Excel's row and column structure is ideal for creating lists or databases because each row can store a record of information and each column can be used as a field.
Creating a List
Each column in the list is a separate field. You should enter the field names in the first row of the area of your spreadsheet that will become the list. Each row of the range contains a database record. Enter data in the rows directly below the field names. In the example below, the field names are in row 3. The first record starts in row 4 and contains the data for Amanda Murphy. Note that Column A has a field header of LAST NAME and contains last name information for all the records in the database.

When creating your list in Excel, keep the following database design principles in mind:
Leave at least one blank column and one blank row between your list and any other data on your worksheet. This will help Excel determine the data included in the list.
ype your column headings on the first row of your list. Format your column labels (bold or CAPITALIZED) to set them off from the rest of your data. Excel needs you to do this so it will know this is a list of data with the defined headings.
Do not use blank rows between any of your records or extra spaces at the beginning of data typed in cells, as this will affect Excel's ability to properly sort or search for your data.
Blank rows or extra spaces in data cells will not affect sort and search utilities in Excel 2000, only in Excel 97.


Specifying or Selecting the Database
Prior to using your list, Excel must determine the area in which the data is actually contained. Excel uses the following approach: it decides the range of the list by what a user has selected. If a single cell is selected, the region is defined as an area bounded by blank rows and columns. If multiple cells have been selected, Excel assumes that the selection is the intended list.
Using Data Forms
A data form is a dialog box which displays a single record with up to 32 of its data fields, and allows you to browse or edit that record. You can also add or delete records from your list using these forms. To use a data form, choose the Form command from the Data menu and Excel will display a form similar to the one at the right.



Sorting a List
It is easy to organize your list in alphabetical, numerical, or chronological order, and the order can be either ascending or descending. Excel lets you do this either by using tools for a single level sort or by using the menu for multiple level sorts. When you sort a list, Excel rearranges the data according to the contents of the column(s) chosen. An important note--when Excel identifies the area to be sorted, it will identify the column labels by comparing the formatting in your list. If the top row is different (such as capitalized or in different character format) Excel will automatically identify that row as your column headings.
In Excel 2000 it is not necessary to format the top row differently for its contents to be identified as column headings.


Single-Level Sorting
If you wish to sort based on a single field you must first select a cell in the column you wish to sort by. For example. If you wanted to sort by Location to group everyone from Cambridge, Montreal, and New York together, you would first select a cell in that column.
Then, you would choose one of the two sort tools on the toolbar. The tool with the A-Z arrow will sort in ascending order (i.e. from a to z, 1 to 100, or Jan. to Dec.) while the tool with the Z-A arrow will sort in descending order (i.e. from z to a, 100 to 1, or Dec. to Jan.).

Undoing a Sort
If you don't like the results of a sort, select Undo from the Edit menu or the undo tool button immediately after the sort. Suggestion: A precaution to take if you might want to restore your list to its original order is to number your records. To do this, insert a column before Column A, give it a label heading (i.e. Rec No.) and then sequentially number each of your records. You could then sort the list by this column to return to the original order.
Multi-Level Sorting
Sometimes you may want to sort based on several columns or fields. For example, if you were sorting based on the Last Name field you might end up with several people with the same last name. In this case, you would want to perform a second level sort based on the First Name field. To perform multi-level sorts, choose Sort from the Data menu, and the Sort dialog box will appear. In the Sort dialog box, you have three sort fields, "Sort By," "Then By," and "Then By." For each sort field, select the column name by which you want to sort and choose Ascending or Descending. Once you have defined your sort fields, choose OK, and Excel will sort your data.


Filtering a List
You may want to use a subset of your database in order to print it, create a chart from it, or format it. In Excel 4.0, when you wished to pull certain data out, you extracted that data to another location. In Excel97 and 2000, this manipulation of data is handled by applying a filter which temporarily hides data and only displays those rows that meet your criteria. There are two types of filters--AutoFilter and the Advanced Filter. AutoFilter is used for defining simple criteria. For more complex criteria, you should use the Advanced Filter.
Applying a Filter
If you wish to apply a filter to your entire list, start by selecting a single cell within that list. If you want to apply the filter only to selected columns, first select the labels for those column. To turn on the filter, select Filterfrom the Data menu, and choose AutoFilter from the sidebar menu. Once you choose AutoFilter, Excel will convert the column names to a series of dropdown lists. These lists allow you to select from the first 251 unique field values in that column to filter out the data. One option in each list is Custom.


Custom Filtering
Sometimes you may wish to filter items that meet certain conditions (e.g. you may only want a list of employees making over $28, 550). In these cases, choose Custom from the list box and then type the criteria to be matched. In Excel 97, the Custom filter allows you to use comparison operators when searching for records so that you can choose records whose contents either match or fall within specified limits. There are six standard comparison operators you can use: = (equal to), > (greater than), < (less than), >= (greater than or equal to), <= (less than or equal to), <> (not equal to). Choose Top 10 if you want the top ten (or any number, for that matter) or bottom ten values displayed in ascending order.
In Excel 2000 a dialog box will appear containing a much simpler drop down menu indicating your criteria options (e.g. “is greater than”, “equals”, “is less than”, etc.).


Working with a Filtered List
Once you've got your list filtered, here are some things you might consider doing with it:
Printing: When you print a filtered list, only the displayed rows are printed.
Formatting/Editing: The Cells, Clear, Copy, Delete, or Insert commands will affect only the visible cells.
Charting: When you create a chart from a filtered list, only the visible data is plotted.
Sorting: Only the displayed data will be sorted. The hidden rows will remain in their original locations.
Formulas & Functions: Only the filtered list will be entered as arguments when using the Function Wizard.
Removing a Filter
To remove filter criteria from a single column, select All from that column's drop-down list box. If you wish to show all hidden rows in your list, then select Filter from the Data menu and then choose Show All. To totally turn off filtering and remove the AutoFilter field arrows, choose Filter from the Data menu, and then select AutoFilter to clear the command.


Automatic Subtotals
You can use Excel's automatic subtotals to quickly summarize data in your database. Based upon the data you have selected, Excel will automatically calculate both subtotals and grand totals within your list.
Displaying Subtotals
Before you begin the process of adding subtotals to your list, you must first prepare your list. You should arrange the rows so that the items you wish to subtotal are grouped together. The easiest way to do this is to use the Sort command in the Data menu.
If you wish to generate subtotals within your entire list, select a single cell in the list. Then select Subtotals from the Data menu. The Subtotal dialog box will appear and provide options for identifying the items you want subtotaled. The At Each Change In field allows you to choose the field where the subtotal will be inserted. The Use Function field allows you to determine what summary function you'd like used in subtotaling your subset of data. These summary functions include Sum, Count, Average, Max, and Min. The Add Subtotal To field allows you to identify the column in which the subtotal will appear.
Creating Nested Subtotals
You can have multiple layers of subtotals or subtotals for smaller groups within your original subtotal groups. To create nested subtotals, choose Subtotals from the Data menu, fill in the appropriate fields in the dialog box and choose OK. Then choose the Subtotals command again, select a different label for the At Each Change In field, fill in the other fields and clear the Replace Current Subtotals checkbox.
Using More than One Summary Function
You may use more than one summary function to calculate data in the same column (perhaps you want a sum and an average of the same data). To do this, choose the Subtotals command from the Data menu, select one function in the Use Function field, and choose OK. Then select Subtotals again and select another function in the Use Function field and clear the Replace Current Subtotals check box.
Removing a Subtotal
To replace existing subtotals with new ones, choose the Subtotals command, select the Replace Current Subtotals checkbox, and then choose OK. To remove all subtotals from your list, select the Remove All button from the Subtotal dialog box.

PivotTables
PivotTables allow you to interactively change the arrangement of your list. It is a great way to create a customized report from your data by specifying the items to be displayed and then changing your view of that data. When a PivotTable is created, Excel builds a memory cache that contains all the source data. This allows you the flexibility to arrange your data as you please.
Creating a PivotTable
To create a PivotTable you must first select PivotTable from the Data menu. The PivotTable Wizard will step you through the creation process. There are four major steps in setting up a PivotTable.
Step 1.
The first step is to identify the type of source data to be used. There are four options: an Excel list or database; an external data source (in an Excel supported format); multiple consolidation ranges (data can be consolidated from several different sources); and from another PivotTable. Select the appropriate option and then select Next.
Step 2.
Next, the Wizard asks you to specify the location of the source data. This location depends upon your selection in Step 1. If the cell pointer was located inside the data source prior to activating the Wizard, Excel will automatically determine the range. The Wizard will help you complete this step regardless of the source type you indicated in Step 1. When finished, choose Next.
Step 3.
Now you can create the layout for the PivotTable. The Wizard will display all of the field names from the data source in the form of buttons. Use your mouse to drag field buttons to various locations on the table. Note that there are four types of field types, row, column, page, and data. Row and Column fields define headings of rows and columns. Page fields filter your view of data in the table by breaking a PivotTable into pages so that you can view one item at a time. Finally, Data fields are the fields which contain the data to be summarized in the table. When finished, select Next.
In Excel 2000, the PivotTable Wizard consists of only 3 steps (or dialog boxes). To choose a layout in Step 3 , you must click the Layout... button located in the lower left corner of the dialog box.


Step 4.
In the final step you select the destination of the PivotTable and make decisions about display options. If you leave this field blank, Excel will insert a new sheet in the current workbook and place the PivotTable in this new sheet. You may provide a name for the table in the next field, PivotTable Name. If you don't type in a name, Excel will give a default name (i.e. PivotTable1, PivotTable2, etc.). Check the box Check Totals for Columns if you wish to calculate grand totals for items displayed in columns or Check Totals for Rows if you want grand totals for items in rows. Save Data with Table Layout is an option which is selected by default. If you wish to increase speed at which the workbook is saved or to minimize disk space, you may wish to unselect this option. Without this option, the table will remain static until a Refresh Data is performed. Finally, the AutoFormat Table field allows Excel to apply best-fit formats to columns in the table.
In Excel 2000 you will perform these in Step 3 . You may select the destination of the PivotTable by selecting either New Worksheetor Existing Worksheet . Display options may be accessed by clicking the Options... button.


Editing a PivotTable
There are several ways to modify an existing PivotTable. You can change layout, field options, refresh your table should data in the original list be changed, group or ungroup items in fields, and display table information on different sheets. The Pivot toolbar (which appears automatically when you create a PivotTable) will be most helpful in performing these commands.
Changing the PivotTable Layout
It is extremely easy to change the layout of the PivotTable. The easiest way is to drag a field button from one location to another on the table to change the table's organization. You can also use the PivotTable Field option described below to change a field's orientation. If you wish to delete a column, row, or page field, simply drag it outside the PivotTable area to remove it.
To insert an additional field (column, row or page), select a cell in the PivotTable and then choose PivotTable from the Data menu or select the PivotTable Wizard tool from the Query and Pivot toolbar. You will be taken to the Table Layout dialog box in the PivotTable Wizard from whence you can add the desired field.
Customizing a Field
You can choose the PivotTable Field tool from the Query and Pivot toolbar or you can double-click a field button directly in the table if you wish to customize a specific field (selecting PivotTable Field from the Data menu will also work). Excel will then display a dialog box which allows you to customize the following options:
Name: changes the name displayed in the field button.
Orientation: changes the way the field is displayed (change to/from row, column, or page fields)
Subtotals: changes the type of subtotaling which is displayed (this is relevant only if you have more than one field displayed as rows or columns).
Hide Items: hides one or more items from a field by clicking on the item names to be hidden.
Delete: remove the field from the table.
Updating the PivotTable
If you change data in the source list or table, in order for this change to be reflected in the PivotTable, you will need to update the PivotTable. To do this, select Refresh Data from the Data menu or the ! tool on the Query and Pivot toolbar.
Grouping or Ungrouping Items in a Table
These tools allow you to group or ungroup items within a field. The left pointing arrow is for ungrouping, and the right is for grouping. For example, if you had several date entries in the month of January, you could group them collectively in a specified group field.
Hiding or Showing Detail for Groups
The tools can be used to either hide or display detail summary data for a group field, or you could double-click on the group item.
Show Pages

This tool on the Query and Pivot toolbar will create a copy of each page field item into a separate worksheet within the current workbook.

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