Sorting numbers from smallest to largest

**gjrr4x1** · 05-10-2013, 07:12 AM

There must be something I'm doing wrong, because I have a list of numbers and when I select Data --> Sort --> Column G, I am not given the option of sorting "From smallest to largest". Only from "A to Z" or viceversa.

Thankyou very much for your help,

gjrr4x1

**Pepe Le Mokko** · 05-10-2013, 07:15 AM

That is because your numbers are stored as text. Select the column - Click data - Text to Columns - Finish
You now have real numbers to play with

**gjrr4x1** · 05-10-2013, 10:11 AM

It works. Excellent! Thankyou!

I'm glad it works but I still don't understand why it does. Before starting the thread I made sure the cell format was "Numbers"

**Pepe Le Mokko** · 05-10-2013, 12:46 PM

What is usually called "format" is in fact what is presented to you by XL. The important thing is the underlying value.( fi when you see a real date, the underlying value is in fact a number)
Enter a ' followed by a number, you will see it left aligns in the cell. ( if you don't align it manually) So it is text although it looks like a number.
If you have your " Error checking rules" enabled in XL options, it will tell you when a text looks like a number ( green little triangle in a corner)