This blog article is one out of five articles on the same subject.

Sorting text cells using array formula in excel
Sorting numbers and text cells also removing blanks using array formula in excel
Sorting numbers and text cells descending also removing blanks using array formula in excel
Sort text cells alphabetically from two columns using excel array formula
Create a drop down list containing only unique distinct alphabetically sorted text values using excel array formula
Sort a range from A to Z using array formula in excel

In a previous post Sorting numbers and text cells also removing blanks using array formula in excel
I created an array formula that sorted numbers and text ascending (Smallest to largest and A to Z). So how do I create a descending list? Z to A and largest to smallest.

Array formula in B2:B15:

=INDEX(List, MATCH(LARGE(IF(ISBLANK(List), "", IF(ISNUMBER(List), COUNTIF(List, "<"&List), COUNTIF(List, "<"&List)+SUM(IF(ISNUMBER(List), 1, 0))+1)), ROW()-ROW(sorted_list_start)+1), IF(ISBLANK(List), "", IF(ISNUMBER(List), COUNTIF(List, "<"&List), COUNTIF(List, "<"&List)+SUM(IF(ISNUMBER(List), 1, 0))+1)), 0)) + CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER

Named ranges
List (A2:A15)
sorted_list_start (B2)
What is named ranges?

How to customize the formula to your excel workbook
Change the named ranges.

Download excel example file
sort-numbers-and-text-cells-using-excel-array-formula_descending.xls
(Excel 97-2003 Workbook *.xls)

Functions used in this blog post:

COUNTIF(range,criteria)
Counts the number of cells within a range that meet the given condition

IF(logical_test;[value_if:true];[value_if_false])
Checks whether a condition is met, and returns one value if TRUE, and another value if FALSE

INDEX(array,row_num,[column_num])
Returns a value or reference of the cell at the intersection of a particular row and column, in a given range

LARGE(array,k) returns the k-th largest row number in this data set

ROW(reference) returns the rownumber of a reference

MATCH(lookup_value;lookup_array; [match_type])
Returns the relative position of an item in an array that matches a specified value

ISNUMBER(value)
Checks whether a value is a number and returns TRUE or FALSE

This blog article is one out of five articles on the same subject.

Sorting text cells using array formula in excel
Sorting numbers and text cells also removing blanks using array formula in excel
Sorting numbers and text cells descending also removing blanks using array formula in excel
Sort text cells alphabetically from two columns using excel array formula
Create a drop down list containing only unique distinct alphabetically sorted text values using excel array formula
Sort a range from A to Z using array formula in excel

Related posts:

1. Sorting numbers and text cells also removing blanks using array formula in excel
2. Sorting text cells using array formula in excel
3. Sort text cells alphabetically from two columns using excel array formula
4. Create a drop down list containing only unique distinct alphabetically sorted text values using excel array formula
5. Extract a unique distinct list sorted alphabetically removing blanks from a range in excel
6. Sort a range from A to Z using array formula in excel
7. Extract numbers and text from a range using array formula in excel
8. Extract and sort text cells from a range containing both numerical and text values
9. Identify largest text value in a column using array formula in excel