How do I sort multiple group headings alphabetically AND their contents within?

K4R4

New member
Joined
Aug 20, 2013
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Hello, I'm working on a simple table to compile different cost estimates from various engineering firms. I have different group headings such as ASPHALT, PIPING, STONE, etc. and then there are different items underneath those headings, all in column A. I want to sort everything alphabetically, but I don't know how to keep the items in each group with their appropriate categories. I want all the asphalt-related items to remain under the heading ASPHALT, but I want to be able to alphabetize by category and alphabetize within each category. Can anyone help?

Thanks!
 
Hard to follow.. can you attach a sample workbook?
 
What I would suggest is to add a helper column.

First, we can use column B in the helper... but you will need to fill in the blank cells with something... maybe just a dash ( - )

Then, in G4 enter another heading like "Helper"

Then in G5 enter formula:

=IF(B5="",A5,G4)

copied down.

now select from A4 to G151 and sort first by column G, then by column A
 
I was very confused at first because I'm kind of a beginner to formulas, but I figured it out. Thanks so much!!:)

For anyone else who might follow this in the future:

-I created a column after the first one, in which I placed a (-) for every row that was a category title, and left if blank for all the items under the categories
-Then I created a helper column at the end and filled all the values in with: =IF(B5="-",A5,G4) That means: If the value in column B has a (-) in it, then this value should be whatever's in column A, and if it doesn't have a (-), then the value should be whatever's in the row ABOVE. So then the helper column was just filled with whatever the category label was
-Then I sorted based on the category first, and the items within the categories second (column A)

Much appreciated.
 
Although that would work too, my suggestion was just to fill the blanks in column B between groups with a dash, then apply the formula in the helper. It would prevent the addition of another column.
 
Back
Top