Sorting and filtering are two of Excel’s most useful tools for organizing and exploring data. Whether you’re working with customer lists, inventory, budgets, project trackers, or personal spreadsheets, these features make it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for without changing your data.
In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to sort data by one or more columns and use filters to temporarily display only the information you want to see. You’ll also learn when to sort, when to filter, and how the two features work together.
What You’ll Learn
- How to sort data alphabetically or numerically
- How to sort by multiple columns
- How to use Excel’s Filter feature
- The difference between sorting and filtering
- How to temporarily hide rows without deleting them
- How to clear or remove filters
Common Uses
- Organizing customer or contact lists
- Sorting inventory by product or category
- Managing project tasks
- Tracking completed vs. incomplete work
- Filtering sales or financial reports
- Finding specific records quickly
- Organizing event or attendance lists
- Managing personal spreadsheets
Requirements / Compatibility
This tutorial was originally recorded in 2020, and the sorting and filtering features continue to work in current versions of Microsoft Excel, including:
- Microsoft 365
- Excel 2024
- Excel 2021
- Excel 2019
- Excel 2016
- Excel for Mac
- Excel for the web
While the interface may look slightly different, the core functionality remains the same.
Practice & Resources
No practice workbook is required for this tutorial.
You can follow along using any Excel table or list that contains column headings and multiple rows of data. Sorting and filtering work best when your data is organized into clearly labeled columns.
Video Tutorial
Breaking Down the Concept
Sorting and filtering are often used together, but they serve different purposes.
Sorting
Sorting changes the order of your data.
For example, you can sort:
- A to Z
- Z to A
- Smallest to Largest
- Largest to Smallest
- Oldest to Newest
- Newest to Oldest
You can even sort by multiple columns, such as sorting first by Department, then by Employee Name within each department.
Why it’s used:
- Organizes data into a meaningful order.
- Makes large lists easier to browse.
- Groups similar records together.
Multi-Level Sorting
Sometimes one sort isn’t enough.
Excel lets you add additional sorting levels.
For example:
- Sort by Zone
- Then sort by Boss Name
This keeps related records grouped together while still organizing each group alphabetically.
Why it’s used:
- Creates more organized reports.
- Makes large datasets easier to navigate.
Filtering
Filtering doesn’t rearrange your data—it temporarily hides rows that don’t match your criteria.
For example, you can display:
- Only one category
- Only incomplete tasks
- Only a specific customer
- Only blank cells
- Only rows that meet certain conditions
Everything else remains in the worksheet and can be restored at any time.
Why it’s used:
- Focuses on the information you need.
- Doesn’t delete or permanently hide data.
- Makes large worksheets easier to work with.
Headers Matter
Most Excel tables include a header row.
When sorting, the My data has headers option tells Excel to leave those headings in place instead of treating them like regular data.
If your worksheet doesn’t have headers, simply uncheck this option before sorting.
Sorting vs. Filtering
| Sorting | Filtering |
|---|---|
| Changes the order of your data | Temporarily hides rows |
| Rearranges every record | Leaves the original order intact |
| Good for organizing | Good for focusing on specific information |
Understanding this difference helps you choose the right tool for the job.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Sort Data
- Select your data (or click anywhere inside the table).
- Go to the Data tab.
- Click Sort.
- Confirm whether your data has headers.
- Choose the first column to sort by.
- Select the sort order (A to Z, Smallest to Largest, etc.).
- (Optional) Click Add Level to sort by additional columns.
- Click OK.
Filter Data
- Select your data.
- Go to the Data tab.
- Click Filter.
- Use the drop-down arrows in each column heading to choose what you’d like to display.
- Clear the filter or click Filter again to remove filtering.
Additional Tips
- Keep related data together by selecting the entire table before sorting.
- If your data already contains headers, leave My data has headers checked.
- Filters hide rows—they don’t delete them.
- You can apply filters to multiple columns at the same time for more specific results.
- If you’re working with a formatted Excel Table, Filter buttons are usually enabled automatically.
Related Features
- Excel Tables
- Data Validation
- Conditional Formatting
- Flash Fill
- Remove Duplicates
- Freeze Panes
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