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: Controlling Sorting Order.
If you have used Excel for more than a week, you probably already know how to sort information in your worksheet. You can use sorting to arrange a list in either ascending or descending order. Ascending order for the English language is from 0–9, A–Z; descending order is the reverse. The sorting order for other languages will be different. To specify the sorting order you simply choose the Ascending or Descending radio buttons in the Sort dialog box.
You can also affect sort order by indicating whether Excel should pay attention to the case of the text in your cells. If a sort is case sensitive, then items are sorted A-Z and then a-z for ascending sorts. If a sort does not pay attention to case, then uppercase and lowercase letters are treated the same.
To specify whether Excel should pay attention to case, follow these steps:
Figure 1. The Sort dialog box.
Figure 2. The Sort Options dialog box.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2921) 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: Controlling Sorting Order.
Save Time and Supercharge Excel! Automate virtually any routine task and save yourself hours, days, maybe even weeks. Then, learn how to make Excel do things you thought were simply impossible! Mastering advanced Excel macros has never been easier. Check out Excel 2010 VBA and Macros today!
Want to ignore some characters at the beginning of each cell when sorting? The easiest way is to simply create other cells ...
Discover MoreWhen entering information into a worksheet, you may want it to always be in a correctly sorted order. Excel allows you to ...
Discover MoreWant to sort addresses by even and odd numbers? By using a formula and doing a little sorting, Excel can return the addresses ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2016-01-23 04:01:05
Nikki
Hello!
I am trying to figure out how to sort alphabetically with case sensitivity turned on?
I can see that "case sensitive" is an option to select when I go to sort options; however, that does not remedy the sorted list.
Can you please help me figure out how to accomplish this task? (I am using Excel 2007 if that makes a difference.)
Many thanks for your assistance!
__
Nikki
2014-12-13 04:03:05
Jan
Deal Allen,
you claim that "If a sort is case sensitive, then items are sorted A-Z and then a-z for ascending sorts."
I tried to sort:
abba
ABBA
baba
Baba
BABA
cap
CAPKO
Capko
with case-sensitive option, but result is:
abba
ABBA
baba
Baba
BABA
cap
Capko
CAPKO
so they are not sorted A-Z and a-z, but words are primary ordered as case insensitive and later, if case sensitive option is switched on, words are ordered in the groups.
What is interesting, using data:
a abba
A ABBA
b baba
B Baba
B BABA
c cap
C Capko
C CAPKO
sorting on the first column (1 letter) result is the same. But if I use custom order list (sorry I have local version of excel, may be original term is different) - A,B,...Z,a,...z sorting according first column is:
A ABBA
B Baba
B BABA
C Capko
C CAPKO
a abba
b baba
c cap
(as you claimed), but sorting according 2nd column is:
a abba
A ABBA
b baba
B Baba
B BABA
c cap
C Capko
C CAPKO
nothing changed.
Any advice?
Jan
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 © 2017 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