How to create a custom sort in Microsoft Excel

Updated: 03/06/2020 by Computer Hope

Sometimes you may need to do a sort that is not an alphabetical or ascending sort in Microsoft Excel. Below are the steps to help you create a custom sort in Microsoft Excel to sort the data in the order you want it represented.

  1. Open Excel and select all of the data you want to be sorted.
Tip

If you want the data next to the sorted data to remain in the same row, make sure you highlight everything including the column you want sorted.

  1. Click the Data tab and then the Sort button (shown below).
  2. In the Sort box (shown below) click Custom List under Order.
  3. In the List entries box, enter how you want the data sorted. For example, we've entered "2E, 2D, 2S, 3E, 3D, 3S, 4E, 4D, 4S" as our sort order.
  4. Once you've completed entering the data into List entries, click the Add button and then OK.

Excel custom sort