How to Sort Data with Formulas in Excel

D

David DeSouza

Dec 1, 2025

3 min read

An illustration depicting two individuals interacting with data visualized as a bar chart. On the left, a woman with long dark hair, wearing a dark blue top and red pants, holds a blue laptop and stands amidst several rectangular bars. These bars, outlined in dark blue, are partially filled with either bright blue or white segments, suggesting varying data values or states. On the right, a man with dark hair, wearing a red long-sleeved shirt, dark blue pants, and bright blue shoes, holds a white laptop and stands near similar bar chart elements. The bars in the background are arranged in a dynamic pattern, some tall, some short, with sections of bright blue and white, and occasional subtle light grey lines or portions. Small, dark blue dashed lines float subtly in the background above both individuals, adding to the digital and analytical theme.

The Problem

Standard sorting is static. If you add a new high-value sale, you have to re-sort manually. Formula sorting is dynamic.

The Easy Way: Use SheetXAI

If you don't want to mess with formulas, the fastest way to do this is simply by asking.

With SheetXAI, you can open the sidebar and type:

Sort this list by amount high to low.

SheetXAI will instantly write the formula or script for you and fill the cells. It handles the syntax so you can focus on the result.

The Manual Way: The Formulas You Need

To do this manually, you need to use: SORT.

1. SORT

Sorts the contents of a range or array.

Syntax: =SORT(array, [sort_index], [sort_order])

array: The range or array to sort.
[sort_index]: A number indicating the row or column to sort by.
[sort_order]: 1 for ascending, -1 for descending.

Example: Sort range A:B by 2nd col descending.

Understanding the Logic

Select Range (A:B).
Sort Index (2 for Column B).
Sort Order (-1 for Descending).

The Final Formula:

=SORT(A:B, 2, -1)

Conclusion

Now you know the "classic" way to solve this using formulas. It's a great skill to have.

But for those times when you just want the job done without the mental math, SheetXAI is there to help.

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