Copying data from col to col for a sorting job

I finally found an Excel function that will not work (for me)...I want to make a short column of data (A) exactly follow the values of selected cells in a longer column (B), which in turn are functions of other variables in columns C, D, etc.

This is to make a set of data from (A) that will stay in sync with all the previous calculations, to be sorted later.

I select a cell in (B), select "equals", and then select the proper cell in (A). then Enter. All seems OK.

After sorting col (A), I find that all the cells addresses in (A) have suddenly been shifted randomly, and the data is totally scrambled.

After fixing all the cell formulae in (A), they refuse to remain stable, again changing.

Am I using the wrong method to do this?