Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Use Filenames that Sort Properly.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 18, 2020)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
It is not uncommon to work on projects that require several workbooks. When you are naming files for your project, you should use names which will later sort properly when you use various functions of Excel. For instance, the Open dialog box shows the files in the current directory. If your files are named properly, they will always appear in order on the list.
I ensure this by starting all files related to a project with a number of digits that represent the order in which the workbook appears in the project. For instance, if the project entails workbooks from the last quarter of 2012 and the first quarter of 2013, then the files may be named as follows:
201210 Actual Figures.xlsx 201211 Actual Figures.xlsx 201212 Actual Figures.xlsx 201301 Actual Figures.xlsx 201302 Actual Figures.xlsx 201303 Actual Figures.xlsx
The files sort properly because they begin with the year. If they began with the month, then the first quarter of 2013 would sort before the last quarter of 2012, which is not nearly as helpful an order.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2233) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Use Filenames that Sort Properly.
Professional Development Guidance! Four world-class developers offer start-to-finish guidance for building powerful, robust, and secure applications with Excel. The authors show how to consistently make the right design decisions and make the most of Excel's powerful features. Check out Professional Excel Development today!
If you use UNC paths in your links to external information, those paths may need to be changed at some point. You can ...
Discover MoreIf you've got some older data around your office that started in an old Lotus 1-2-3 system, you may want to open it in ...
Discover MoreWhen you import a CSV file into an Excel worksheet, you may be surprised at how the program allocates the information ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here:
Comments