How to use macros to sort data in multiple columns as one column in Excel (247311)

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Built-in sorting

In Microsoft Excel, you usually use the sorting feature to sort a list. A list in Excel is a series of worksheet rows that contain related data, such as an invoice database or a set of client names and phone numbers. You can use a list as a database, in which each row is a record, and the columns are fields. The first row of the list usually has labels for the columns, for example:

   A1: Q1   B1: Q2   C1: Q3
   A2: 10   B2: 2    C2: 4
   A3: 14   B3: 18   C3: 9
   A4: 7    B4: 17   C4: 12
   A5: 1    B5: 13   C5: 5
   A6: 11   B6: 8    C6: 16
   A7: 3    B7: 6    C7: 15
				

If you sorted this list in ascending order, by the Q1 field (column A), the results would be as follows:

   A1: Q1   B1: Q2   C1: Q3
   A2: 1    B2: 13   C2: 5
   A3: 3    B3: 6    C3: 15
   A4: 7    B4: 17   C4: 12
   A5: 10   B5: 2    C5: 4
   A6: 11   B6: 8    C6: 16
   A7: 14   B7: 18   C7: 9
				

Sorting a newspaper-style column

Newspaper columns and snaking columns are different terms for the same type of data format. In newspaper columns, the data fills one column and continues at the top of the next column. In this case, your data probably does not have labels for each column, for example:

   A1: 10   B1: 2    C1: 4
   A2: 14   B2: 18   C2: 9
   A3: 7    B3: 17   C3: 12
   A4: 1    B4: 13   C4: 5
   A5: 11   B5: 8    C5: 16
   A6: 3    B6: 6    C6: 15
				

You can use the sample macro in this article to sort newspaper columns in ascending order. If you use the sample macro on the above data, the results are as follows:

   A1: 1    B1: 7    C1: 13
   A2: 2    B2: 8    C2: 14
   A3: 3    B3: 9    C3: 15
   A4: 4    B4: 10   C4: 16
   A5: 5    B5: 11   C5: 17
   A6: 6    B6: 12   C6: 18
				

To see the sorting macro work as described, follow these steps:

1. Open a new workbook.
2. Type the following sample data in the worksheet:

      A1: 10   B1: 2    C1: 4
      A2: 14   B2: 18   C2: 9
      A3: 7    B3: 17   C3: 12
      A4: 1    B4: 13   C4: 5
      A5: 11   B5: 8    C5: 16
      A6: 3    B6: 6    C6: 15
   					

3. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Visual Basic Editor.
4. On the Insert menu, click Module.
5. Type the following code in the module:
   
   Note The following example demonstrates how to sort in ascending order. You can change this by modifying the value of the "Order1:=" argument to xlDescending.

      Sub SortAllRangeData()
      ' Place column header for temporary sort area.
      Range("IV1").Value = "Numbers"
      
      ' Move numbers to temporary sort location.
      For Each cell In Selection
         Range("iv65536").End(xlUp).Offset(1, 0) = cell.Value
      Next cell
      
      ' Sort numbers in ascending order.
      Range("IV1", Range("IV1").End(xlDown)).Sort Key1:=Range("IV2"),  _
      Order1:=xlAscending, Header:=xlGuess, _
           OrderCustom:=1, MatchCase:=False, Orientation:=xlTopToBottom
           
      ' Move sorted data back to original sheet location.
   
      Selection(1, 1).Activate ' Make sure the ActiveCell is the
                               ' top left of Selection first.
      CCnt = Selection.Columns.Count
      RCnt = Selection.Rows.Count
      CellCnt = Selection.Cells.Count
      Tcell = 2
      For c = 1 To CCnt
        For r = 1 To RCnt
           Range(ActiveCell.Address).Offset(r - 1, c - 1).Value =  _
           Range("iv" & Tcell).Value
           Tcell = Tcell + 1
        Next r
      Next c
      
      ' Clean up temporary sort location.
      Range("IV1", Range("IV1").End(xlDown)).Clear
   End Sub
   					

6. On the Excel menu in Microsoft Excel X for Mac and in later versions of Excel for Mac, or on the File menu in all other versions of Excel, click Close and Return to Microsoft Excel.
7. Select A1:C6.
8. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Macros. Select the SortAllRangeData macro, and then click Run.

All the data within the selected range is now sorted, and appears as follows:

   A1: 1    B1: 7    C1: 13
   A2: 2    B2: 8    C2: 14
   A3: 3    B3: 9    C3: 15
   A4: 4    B4: 10   C4: 16
   A5: 5    B5: 11   C5: 17
   A6: 6    B6: 12   C6: 18