Quick Tip: Re-Sorting a List or Table in Excel

Of course you know how to sort data in Excel! Simply click on the Sort button, or click on the mini A-Z or Z-A chicklet buttons, and voila! the list is sorted. And if you want more control, you can try Custom Sorting, and Advanced Sorting with this Method.

The problem is that a sorted list often gets out of sync, if you keep adding or editing data in the table. And if you use a Custom Sorting sequence, you can’t simply click on the single column sorting chicklets any longer  🙁

So you have to go to Custom Sort, and click it again to get the list sorted one more time.

A Quick Way to Sort Your Custom Sorted Table in Excel
Fortunately, there is a quicker and shorter way. All you need to do is to click on the Reapply button, which shows up once you click on the Sort menu on the Home Tab.

There’s a shortcut – Ctrl + Alt + L

This makes the current list or table sorted again. Even if you had multiple columns in the custom sorted list.

What I have done is to put this Reapply button on my Quick Access Toolbar in Excel. This makes it much snappier to apply it anytime, anywhere in Excel.

Hope you like this quick tip. It has saved me quite a few clicks, and a lot of time searching for something in a not so sorted table…

Cheers,
Vinai Prakash

PS: Check out how to sort in a unique manner – not ascending , not descending. Sorting it Your Way!

Also, let me know if there is anything in Excel that bothers you…. anything where you could get some help. Simply post it into a comment or email it to me, and I’ll see what I can do to help you out 🙂 – Vinai