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2 Easy and Clear Methods to Sort Names Alphabetically in Excel

FPT Shop has shared two ways to alphabetize names in Excel below. These methods will help make your documents more visually appealing, harmonious, and professional in the eyes of your colleagues, as well as garner positive impressions from partners. Let's find out more.

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25 December, 2023

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Sorting names alphabetically in Excel will make your list look more professional to readers. Moreover, this sorting method will help you easily track and manage information whenever you need to make edits.

Why should you sort names alphabetically in Excel?

Sorting names alphabetically in Excel (also known as alphabetical order) will make your documents look more organized and professional. It offers several benefits, including:

Helping users perform tasks more easily, simplifying office work, and saving time.
Sorting names alphabetically in Excel makes it easy to manage, edit, track, and search for names in the list when needed. For example, if you want to find a particular name in the list, sorting in alphabetical order will help you find it much faster.
Creating a professional look in your work, impressing colleagues, superiors, subordinates, and partners. Sorting names alphabetically in Excel makes it easier for viewers to track and looks visually appealing.

How to sort names alphabetically in Excel

1. Sorting names alphabetically when first and last names are in the same column

Here is a guide on how to sort names alphabetically in Excel when first and last names are in the same column:

Step 1: First, right-click on the column to the right of the full name column. Then, find the Insert option in the menu. Now, a blank column will be inserted next to the full name column.

Step 2: Change the name of the newly inserted column to First Name, then copy all the content from the Full Name column to this new column.

Step 3: Select the entire First Name column, press Ctrl + H to open the Replace dialog box. Then, enter * and space in the Find what field and continue selecting Replace All.

Step 4: Click OK, then click Close when you have finished making the changes to close the dialog box.

Step 5: Continue selecting and right-clicking on the column next to the Full Name column, select Insert to create another empty column.

Step 6: Enter the formula =LEFT(B2,LEN(B2)-LEN(D2)) in the First Name cell and press Enter.

Step 7: Place your mouse at the bottom right corner of the first name cell, when the plus sign appears, click and hold the mouse to copy the formula to the remaining cells.

Step 8: In the Full Name column, select and right-click to choose Hide to hide the column.

Choose Hide

Step 9: Select the First Name column again, click the Data tab on the toolbar, then choose Sort A to Z from the Sort & Filter menu.

Step 10: Enter the number 1 in the first row of the order column, then press and hold the mouse on the number 2 and drag it down. Finally, select the order column, and click the plus icon below to choose Fill Series to complete it.

2. Sorting names alphabetically in Excel when first and last names are in separate columns

In cases where first and last names are in separate columns, refer to the steps below to sort names alphabetically in Excel:

Step 1: First, select the column of data you want to sort alphabetically. Then, select the Data tab on the toolbar. Click on Sort A to Z or Sort Z to A to arrange the names in ascending or descending order.

Step 2: Fill in the number 1 in the first cell of the order column in the list, then press and hold the mouse on the number 2, and drag it downwards. Check the first cell again and click the plus sign to choose Fill Series then you are done.

Press and hold the mouse and drag the plus sign

Step 3: From the Home menu, choose Fill Series to sort names in alphabetical order in Excel.

With these three steps above, your data will be sorted alphabetically, and the order column will also be arranged correctly based on the order of the data after sorting. Your Excel data will look professional, with clear and manageable information.

How to quickly create a sort name filter in Excel

You can also create a quick sort name filter in Excel by following these steps:

Step 1: Go to the Data tab on the toolbar, click on Sort & Filter, and select Filter.

Step 2: Click on the arrow icon in the header section of the data column you want to sort. Choose Sort A to Z or Sort Z to A depending on whether you want the ascending or descending order.

Depending on your document requirements, you can choose either A to Z or Z to A, then click OK

Step 3: To complete the sorting process, click OK.

In conclusion

This article has provided you with a detailed guide on how to sort names alphabetically in Excel. You can easily and quickly perform this task whenever you need to. Your documents will be more visually appealing and easy to read. Additionally, your files will appear more professional to your colleagues and partners.

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