Sorting and Filtering Data
Put your data in order, and hide the rows you don't need to see right now.
Compatibility: All Excel versions
What You'll Learn
- The difference between sorting and filtering
- How to apply a Custom Sort with multiple levels
- How to turn filters on and off with Ctrl+Shift+L
Sorting rearranges rows based on the values in one or more columns — alphabetically, numerically, or by date. Select your data, go to the Data tab, and choose Sort A→Z, Sort Z→A, or Custom Sort for more control (like sorting by one column, then a second column as a tiebreaker).
Filtering
Filtering temporarily hides rows that don't match a condition, without deleting or moving any data. Select your data and press Ctrl+Shift+L to add filter dropdown arrows to your header row. Click an arrow to check/uncheck which values should be visible.
The key difference: sorting permanently reorders your rows, while filtering just hides some of them temporarily — turning the filter back off brings every row back exactly where it was.
Sorting Doesn't Always Behave the Way You Expect
If you sort only one column in a table that has other related columns, Excel will ask whether to "expand the selection" — always say yes, otherwise you'll scramble your data by moving one column's values out of sync with the rest of the row.
Common Mistakes
- Sorting only one column and accidentally leaving the rest of the row behind
- Forgetting that a filter is still active, and wondering why some rows seem to be "missing"
Practice Exercise
Build a small table of five products with a Price column. Sort it by Price from lowest to highest, then apply a filter and hide every product under $10.
Key Takeaways
- Sorting reorders rows permanently; filtering just hides them temporarily
- Always let Excel expand the selection when sorting a table
- Ctrl+Shift+L toggles filter arrows on your header row