This week’s hint and tip is about how to use the sorting option within Excel. This is on our Intermediate Excel training course and covers where the sorting option is found and how to use it. We are going to go through it now below.

Where the sorting option is found

There are three ways to find the sorting option in Excel. The first is to go to the Data Tab. From here you can use the A-Z filter buttons or click on the sort button. The second is go to the Home Tab and click on the sort and filter button. When you click on this button, the sorting options can be found on the drop down list. Finally the third option is to add the A-Z and Z-A shortcut buttons to your QAT.

How to sort your data

To sort your data, you only have to select one active cell in the column you want sorted. To sort a column, select one cell and then select the A-Z button. This will sort your data in alphabetical order by the column you selected the cell in. This is a simple single level sort. You can also apply multi level sorting to your data. To do this, click on the fort button on the Data Tab. This will bring up a box where you can select the details for your first level of sorting. Once this is done, click on the add level button and this will allow you add the second level to your sorting. Same as before, select the details for the second level of sorting then click OK. This will then sort your data first by the first level details then by the second level details.

The video below shows you how to sort your data in Excel. Sorting is very powerful in Excel and is useful for ordering your data to make it easier to read.

Take a look below at the video to find out more and then try it out on your own computer!

We hope you have enjoyed this hint and tip, why not take a look at our previous one on replicating spreadsheets?

The post Excel Sorting – a video on how to sort your data in Excel appeared first on JPL IT Training Ltd.

In this current Coronavirus crisis all our ways of life are affected. From all the team here we wish you all well in whatever challenges you are seeking to overcome.

It is most unlikely that we shall be delivering our usual on site day courses for customers in the short term. As a result of this we can instead engage with you directly and remotely. Our objective is to deliver to you short duration training sessions remotely from our list of course content.

How it works

We will make this happen by using a remote communication software. We’ve currently chosen a simple one which is driven by us using Webex desktop communication. It doesn’t require any client software on your pc/laptop, just the ability to interact with us via a web cam and mic. We organise/schedule a session, we send you a meeting request link and you click on the link just before time of meeting and go! We will share the training files and exercises required in advance. Then when you share yours for us to see how you’re doing you are still in control of your desktop so it’s quite secure and safe but simple.

Pricing and content topics

Our price charging for this training is by the hour for this based on numbers and we want to limit it to 4 per session. It’s a good way to keep your skills ticking over at low cost. You can choose topics from our course content of interest. See www.jplcomputer.co.uk for information.  Its particularly good for Excel training in topics like Pivot Tables and formulas.

Please get in touch with us via email at johnlegge@jplcomputer.co.uk or phone 07903 840105 to log your interest in this interim remote training we’re offering.

We wish you well and hope to hear from you. Keep in touch please in any case.

John Legge
Managing Director
JPL IT Training Limited

23rd March 2020

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Further to a blog we did in May 2017 on Excel Symbols we thought we would give you a further insight into 5 more Excel symbol meanings.

There are a number of different symbols used within Excel all with different meanings and uses.

It can be confusing trying to work out what they all mean and how you can use them, so we thought we would break down some of them and their meanings to give you a bit more insight.

See below for the Excel symbol and information on what its use is in Excel!

5 Excel Symbols

() – Brackets are an essential symbol in Excel bring used for 2 prime purposes:

1. To follow a function and contain the arguments of that function e.g. =SUM(b2:b5) or =VLOOKUP(b2,$d$5:$g$12,2,False)
2. To obey the BODMAS premise where brackets override multiply and divide symbols which themselves override addition and subtraction

‘ – An apostrophe before a cell value forces Excel to interpret the value as text. Here we have 2 examples:

1. If you type in a phone number say in a cell as 1 long number Excel drops the first 0 so by inserting an apostrophe firstly means it displays the whole number including the 0
2. If you refer to a worksheet in a formula which has spaces, then the ‘ treats the sheet name as text and you wont get an error e.g. =sum(‘Q 1:Q 4’!b2)

& – See this example in the image of cell C1 to the right

^ – To the power of e.g. =2^3 would give us the answer 8 if you typed it in to Excel

{} – Used when using an Array type of formula in Excel

We cover the use of Excel symbols on our Basic Excel training course and now there are 5 to choose from.

See our website here for more details or contact us on 07903 840105 or johnlegge@jplcomputer.co.uk

You might also like to read our previous post on some lesser known features in Word.

The post Excel Symbol Meanings…what do they mean? Find out here! appeared first on JPL IT Training Ltd.