Comments on: Sorting text cells using array formula in excel

By: Spencer

Spencer — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:13:30 +0000

I should add that when I said the modified formula produced the same results as the original I meant that both formula's had the SMALL function swapped for the LARGE function.

By: Spencer

Spencer — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:10:25 +0000

what is the purpose of [COUNTIF(List, "<"&List)]? I tried the same overall formula but I replaced this part with a direct reference to the named range and switched SMALL for LARGE which resulted in the formula below:

=INDEX(List, MATCH(LARGE(List, ROW(1:1)), List, 0))

This produced the same results as your original formula which is what made me wonder why the [COUNTIF(List, "<"&List)] portion needs to be there at all.

Also, in my attempt to understand what this part of the formula is doing I came across something that confused me even more. If the section in question [COUNTIF(List, "<"&List)] is put into cells by itself, without the [INDEX(List...], then the results are dependant on the row where the formula was originally inputted and where the formula was copied. I'm assuming this is because the countif outputs an array but I don't understand why. Can you explain this for me?

By: Oscar

Oscar — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:38:02 +0000

Themin,

=INDEX($A$1:$A$5, MATCH(SMALL(COUNTIF($A$1:$A$5, "<"&$A$1:$A$5), COLUMN(A:A)), COUNTIF($A$1:$A$5, "<"&$A$1:$A$5), 0))

Download example file *.xlsx Themin.xlsx

By: Themin

Themin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:33:11 +0000

Oscar, how would i change your formula if i want to work with COLUMNS rather than ROW... e.g. I have a single row of data in 5 columns, CDAEB and i want formulas in the next 5 columns that results in ABCDE.

I tried swapping the match reference and row(1:1) to column(1:1) but it doesnt work... many thanks.

By: Oscar

Oscar — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:43:32 +0000

rivers, =INDEX(List, MATCH(SMALL(IF(ISBLANK(List), "", COUNTIF(List, "<"&List)), ROW(1:1)), IF(ISBLANK(List), "", COUNTIF(List, "<"&List)), 0))

By: rivers

rivers — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:21:29 +0000

Thanks for formula however if the list has blanks it puts them up top and the data is in the bottom. Since I am using dynamic validation how can i put them up top so the user doesn't have to scroll down for selection?

By: FB

FB — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 16:54:32 +0000

Dear Oscar,

Greatest Help...

Thank you very much

By: Oscar

Oscar — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 16:40:14 +0000

FB, I think this post answers your question: Sort values in parallel (array formula)

By: FB

FB — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 16:10:58 +0000

Hi Oscar,

Your formula is great, but I need something greater (I think)

I want to sort multiple columns using formula and even multiple sort types, is it possible?

For Example:
Unsorted Data
==============
Col 1 Col 2
-------------------
B 2
A 1
C 2
A 2
B 1
C 2

Sorted Data must be :
Col 1 Col 2
---------------------
A 1
A 2
B 1
B 2
C 2
C 2

Actually I need the sort type of Col 1 ASC then Col 2 DESC then Col 3 ASC then Col 4 DESC then Col 5 ASC.
But If you could give just the Col 1 ASC then Col 2 ASC formula, it would help me a lot...

Thx

By: Oscar

Oscar — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 20:25:28 +0000

Jaseel,

I am happy you got the formula working.
The formula is an array formula. To enter the formula as an array formula, type the formula in a cell and then press and hold CTRL + SHIFT and then press ENTER once.

Read more about array formulas: Array formulas