How to Sort by Date in Google Sheets
Google Sheets is a powerful tool in the Google Workspace suite that offers a variety of features to manage and manipulate data. One such feature is the ability to sort data by date. This can be particularly useful when dealing with large datasets that include timestamps or dates. This guide will walk you through sorting by date in Google Sheets.
How to Sort by Date in Google Sheets
Efficiently organizing your data in Google Sheets is a key skill for seamless spreadsheet management. Sorting data by date is a crucial aspect, and Google Sheets provides two powerful methods to accomplish this: the Sort Range feature and the Sort Sheet feature.
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Using the Sort Range Feature
First, select the cells you want to sort to sort a range of cells by date. Then, go to Data > Sort range. A dialog box will appear where you can choose the column to sort by and the sorting order. Choose the column with the dates and select either “A -> Z” for ascending order or “Z -> A” for descending order.
Click “Sort”, and Google Sheets will sort your selected range by date. Note that this method will only sort the selected range and not affect any other cells in the sheet.
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Using the Sort Sheet Feature
First, select the column with the dates to sort the entire sheet by date. Then, go to Data > Sort sheet by column A-Z or Sort sheet by column Z-A, depending on whether you want an ascending or descending order. Google Sheets will sort the entire sheet based on the selected column. All the other columns will be rearranged to keep their rows aligned with the date column.
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FAQs
How do I sort data by date in Google Sheets?
Use the “Sort range” feature to select your date column and choose the desired order under the ‘Data’ tab.
Can I sort only a specific range of cells by date?
Yes, the Sort range feature allows you to sort a selected range without affecting other cells in the sheet.
What’s the difference between the Sort range and Sort sheet when sorting by date?
While both methods yield the same result for one-column sorting, a Sort sheet is recommended when maintaining alignment with other columns.
How can I sort the entire sheet by date in ascending order?
Select the date column, go to ‘Data,’ and choose ‘Sort sheet by column A-Z.’
Will sorting by date using the Sort Sheet feature rearrange other columns in Google Sheets?
Yes, the Sort Sheet feature ensures all columns are realigned to maintain their rows’ association with the date column.
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