Excel Boss Needed

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Hey CP'ers,

I have a Excel question and was hoping someone here would be enough of a guru.

I'm looking to embed a 'sort' function (macro?) into the top of a bunch of columns.

So the user can just click the button in the cell at the top of the column and the data will sort based upon that column.

Way more user friendly than rooting through the tool menu for the sort function...

I know it can be done because I have a spreadsheet with this feature...but I have no idea how to do it....

Help?

[Hockeyguy15]

I think you are talking about a pivot table?

Edit: I think I might have misread and thought a little too complicated.

Second Edit: Did you mean making a table? If you make a table you will be able to sort and filter each column, and each header will have a drop down box to do so. Or what they said below too. The table will give you an extra 'pretty' table format, might be overkill.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

i think you're looking for filter. choose the headings you want and click filter from the sort menu.

Alternately, guys on this board can make excel to anything so a great place to ask tougher questions.
http://www.mrexcel.com/forum/index.php

[Mattington]

Maybe you're thinking of the auto filter function?

Just highlight your column headings, click "data", scroll over "filter", then a mini menu pops up to the left, click "AutoFilter".

In Excel 2007 it works similarily, exept under the data tab there is an icon that looks like a funnel, click that.

[calumniate]

Yeah, just click on one of your header rows, click the data tab, and click filter. Objective complete!

edit - beaten badly to it.

[oilyfan]

The autofilter will work, but putting a button up there is cooler.

This is what you have to (instructions are for Excel 2010)
- make sure developer tab is showing in your menus http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb608625.aspx
- goto developer - insert - formcontrol (pick the button) and draw the button where you want it
- a message pops up asking to assign macro
- click record and then ok
- sort the table in the way you want and then click stop recording on the top menu
- right click on the button and edit text and change it to "sort"
- reposition the button where you want it to go (probably above the cloumn you set to sort)

repeat these steps for the all the columns, changing the column you sort on everytime you record your macro, and voila! you are done.

[GirlySports]

That sounds complex.

Why don't you add a dropdown box to column heading and then add the sort/filter function as one of the items of the dropdown box.

[oilyfan]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

That sounds complex.

Why don't you add a dropdown box to column heading and then add the sort/filter function as one of the items of the dropdown box.

Its not very complex at all, takes me 5 minutes. I know the dropdown list works, this just looks slicker.

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Thanks all...the solution I was thinking of was from HockeyGuy (creating a table)...just highlighted the worksheet...created a table and BOOM...a SORT macro (or whatever) is at the top of each column.

I may have to try the dropdown list option though just for shiggles...it might be easier for the boss to use.