Microsoft Word 2003/2004
Using the Sort Feature
Sorting tables is a feature designed for sequencing lists (e.g., experiment sites, number grades, bibliographies). You can sort a table by up to three columns, in either ascending or descending order. For example, you can sort a table of committee members initially by last name and then, within that sort, by first name. You can also sort numbers or dates. In addition, the Sort feature can be used for paragraph text outside of tables. This can be useful in creating bibliographies, glossaries, and other types of lists.
Sorting a Table
Sorting elements of your table is useful for organizing your data, whether consisting of text, numbers, or dates. You can also perform subsequent sorts on the data, initially sorting by one criterion and then sorting by a second criterion within that sort.
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Select the table or column(s) to be sorted
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From the Table menu, select Sort...
The Sort dialog box appears.
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From the Sort by pull-down list, select the first column by which to sort
HINT: If your table contains headings that should be excluded from the sort, in the My list has section, select Header row. -
From the Type pull-down list, select Text, Number, or Date
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Select Ascending or Descending order
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OPTIONAL: To sort additional columns, from the Then by pull-down lists, select the desired sorting criteria
- OPTIONAL: To make the sort case-sensitive,
- Click OPTIONS...
The Sort Options dialog box appears. - Under Sort options, select Case sensitive
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Click OK
- Click OPTIONS...
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Click OK
Sorting a List
The Sort feature and various sorting options can also be used for lists that do not appear in a formatted table. This feature can be particularly helpful for sorting bibliographies, glossary entries, indexing, lists of names, and so on.
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Select the list to be sorted
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Follow steps 2-8 in Sorting a Table
