Sort by 2nd word in a cell?

[Curious Lady]

If I create a data base with a name cell that includes both the first and
last name, can I sort by the first letter of the last name?

[Dave Peterson]

The first thing I'd do is to use two more columns and put the first and last
names into their own columns.

Data|Text to columns
seems like a good way to start.

Then sort by those helper columns.

Curious Lady wrote:
>
> If I create a data base with a name cell that includes both the first and
> last name, can I sort by the first letter of the last name?

--

Dave Peterson

[CLR]

If you have not created the DataBase yet, then by all means use separate
columns for the first and last names.......it's so much better in the long
run........if you already have such a list, then it's best to separate it
with the "TextToColumns" feature or the "MID" formula..............

Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3

"Curious Lady" <Curious [email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> If I create a data base with a name cell that includes both the first and
> last name, can I sort by the first letter of the last name?

[Curious Lady]

Dave,

I already do the two columns but have difficulty transferring it into Word
(usually creating class rosters) without using mail merge. I am not sure
what you mean by Data|Text to columns. I will try using the help but any
quickie advice would be much appreciated. Thanks for your time.

"Dave Peterson" wrote:

> The first thing I'd do is to use two more columns and put the first and last
> names into their own columns.
>
> Data|Text to columns
> seems like a good way to start.
>
> Then sort by those helper columns.
>
> Curious Lady wrote:
> >
> > If I create a data base with a name cell that includes both the first and
> > last name, can I sort by the first letter of the last name?
>
> --
>
> Dave Peterson
>

[Curious Lady]

We already have the data base and I understand what you are telling me to do;
however, I am not familiar with the "TextToColumns" feature or the "MID"
formula. Where would I find this and can you suggest a good question to ask
Mr. Wizard Help? Thank you for your time.

"CLR" wrote:

> If you have not created the DataBase yet, then by all means use separate
> columns for the first and last names.......it's so much better in the long
> run........if you already have such a list, then it's best to separate it
> with the "TextToColumns" feature or the "MID" formula..............
>
> Vaya con Dios,
> Chuck, CABGx3
>
> "Curious Lady" <Curious [email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > If I create a data base with a name cell that includes both the first and
> > last name, can I sort by the first letter of the last name?
>
>
>

[Gord Dibben]

You could use Data>Text to columns to break the cell into two columns then
sort on the last name.


Gord Dibben Excel MVP

On Thu, 23 Jun 2005 16:31:02 -0700, Curious Lady <Curious
[email protected]> wrote:

>If I create a data base with a name cell that includes both the first and
>last name, can I sort by the first letter of the last name?

[CLR]

Save your data and use a copy for this exercize........
Be sure the column to the right of your column is blank, or insert a new
one...........
Highlight the column with the names, then do Data > TextToColumns >
Delimited > Next > check the SPACE box > finish
This splits the surname over to the blank column

or

If your data in column A, put this in B1 and copy down.........
=MID(A1,FIND(" ",A1,1)+1,99)
This will put the surname in column B, leaving column A intact

Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3



"Curious Lady" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> We already have the data base and I understand what you are telling me to
do;
> however, I am not familiar with the "TextToColumns" feature or the "MID"
> formula. Where would I find this and can you suggest a good question to
ask
> Mr. Wizard Help? Thank you for your time.
>
> "CLR" wrote:
>
> > If you have not created the DataBase yet, then by all means use separate
> > columns for the first and last names.......it's so much better in the
long
> > run........if you already have such a list, then it's best to separate
it
> > with the "TextToColumns" feature or the "MID" formula..............
> >
> > Vaya con Dios,
> > Chuck, CABGx3
> >
> > "Curious Lady" <Curious [email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > If I create a data base with a name cell that includes both the first
and
> > > last name, can I sort by the first letter of the last name?
> >
> >
> >

[Curious Lady]

Thanks a million. I am off to try it and if works you have no idea how much
joy you will brought to the world. :-)

"CLR" wrote:

> Save your data and use a copy for this exercize........
> Be sure the column to the right of your column is blank, or insert a new
> one...........
> Highlight the column with the names, then do Data > TextToColumns >
> Delimited > Next > check the SPACE box > finish
> This splits the surname over to the blank column
>
> or
>
> If your data in column A, put this in B1 and copy down.........
> =MID(A1,FIND(" ",A1,1)+1,99)
> This will put the surname in column B, leaving column A intact
>
> Vaya con Dios,
> Chuck, CABGx3
>
>
>
> "Curious Lady" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > We already have the data base and I understand what you are telling me to
> do;
> > however, I am not familiar with the "TextToColumns" feature or the "MID"
> > formula. Where would I find this and can you suggest a good question to
> ask
> > Mr. Wizard Help? Thank you for your time.
> >
> > "CLR" wrote:
> >
> > > If you have not created the DataBase yet, then by all means use separate
> > > columns for the first and last names.......it's so much better in the
> long
> > > run........if you already have such a list, then it's best to separate
> it
> > > with the "TextToColumns" feature or the "MID" formula..............
> > >
> > > Vaya con Dios,
> > > Chuck, CABGx3
> > >
> > > "Curious Lady" <Curious [email protected]> wrote in message
> > > news:[email protected]...
> > > > If I create a data base with a name cell that includes both the first
> and
> > > > last name, can I sort by the first letter of the last name?
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
>
>

[Curious Lady]

It worked very well. Thank you. Can I then do the reverse action? If I
have 2 columns, first name, last name, can I merge them into a column that
contains the names together? Thank you again for your time.

"CLR" wrote:

> Save your data and use a copy for this exercize........
> Be sure the column to the right of your column is blank, or insert a new
> one...........
> Highlight the column with the names, then do Data > TextToColumns >
> Delimited > Next > check the SPACE box > finish
> This splits the surname over to the blank column
>
> or
>
> If your data in column A, put this in B1 and copy down.........
> =MID(A1,FIND(" ",A1,1)+1,99)
> This will put the surname in column B, leaving column A intact
>
> Vaya con Dios,
> Chuck, CABGx3
>
>
>
> "Curious Lady" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > We already have the data base and I understand what you are telling me to
> do;
> > however, I am not familiar with the "TextToColumns" feature or the "MID"
> > formula. Where would I find this and can you suggest a good question to
> ask
> > Mr. Wizard Help? Thank you for your time.
> >
> > "CLR" wrote:
> >
> > > If you have not created the DataBase yet, then by all means use separate
> > > columns for the first and last names.......it's so much better in the
> long
> > > run........if you already have such a list, then it's best to separate
> it
> > > with the "TextToColumns" feature or the "MID" formula..............
> > >
> > > Vaya con Dios,
> > > Chuck, CABGx3
> > >
> > > "Curious Lady" <Curious [email protected]> wrote in message
> > > news:[email protected]...
> > > > If I create a data base with a name cell that includes both the first
> and
> > > > last name, can I sort by the first letter of the last name?
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
>
>

[Dave Peterson]

=A1&" "&B1

or =B1&", "&A1

just a note. It's usually lots easier to concatenate stuff (put it together)
than to separate fields.

Dr. James Throckmorton Smythe-Davis, III

would be difficult to separate.

Curious Lady wrote:
>
> It worked very well. Thank you. Can I then do the reverse action? If I
> have 2 columns, first name, last name, can I merge them into a column that
> contains the names together? Thank you again for your time.
>
> "CLR" wrote:
>
> > Save your data and use a copy for this exercize........
> > Be sure the column to the right of your column is blank, or insert a new
> > one...........
> > Highlight the column with the names, then do Data > TextToColumns >
> > Delimited > Next > check the SPACE box > finish
> > This splits the surname over to the blank column
> >
> > or
> >
> > If your data in column A, put this in B1 and copy down.........
> > =MID(A1,FIND(" ",A1,1)+1,99)
> > This will put the surname in column B, leaving column A intact
> >
> > Vaya con Dios,
> > Chuck, CABGx3
> >
> >
> >
> > "Curious Lady" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > We already have the data base and I understand what you are telling me to
> > do;
> > > however, I am not familiar with the "TextToColumns" feature or the "MID"
> > > formula. Where would I find this and can you suggest a good question to
> > ask
> > > Mr. Wizard Help? Thank you for your time.
> > >
> > > "CLR" wrote:
> > >
> > > > If you have not created the DataBase yet, then by all means use separate
> > > > columns for the first and last names.......it's so much better in the
> > long
> > > > run........if you already have such a list, then it's best to separate
> > it
> > > > with the "TextToColumns" feature or the "MID" formula..............
> > > >
> > > > Vaya con Dios,
> > > > Chuck, CABGx3
> > > >
> > > > "Curious Lady" <Curious [email protected]> wrote in message
> > > > news:[email protected]...
> > > > > If I create a data base with a name cell that includes both the first
> > and
> > > > > last name, can I sort by the first letter of the last name?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> >
> >
> >

--

Dave Peterson

[CLR]

You're very welcome...........yes, it can be reversed........ the process is
called CONCATENATION...........
Assuming Firstname in Column A and Lastname in B, put one of these in
C1.......
=A1&" "&B1 will result in Firstname Lastname
=B1&", "&A1 will result in Lastname, Firstname

Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3


"Curious Lady" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> It worked very well. Thank you. Can I then do the reverse action? If I
> have 2 columns, first name, last name, can I merge them into a column that
> contains the names together? Thank you again for your time.
>
> "CLR" wrote:
>
> > Save your data and use a copy for this exercize........
> > Be sure the column to the right of your column is blank, or insert a new
> > one...........
> > Highlight the column with the names, then do Data > TextToColumns >
> > Delimited > Next > check the SPACE box > finish
> > This splits the surname over to the blank column
> >
> > or
> >
> > If your data in column A, put this in B1 and copy down.........
> > =MID(A1,FIND(" ",A1,1)+1,99)
> > This will put the surname in column B, leaving column A intact
> >
> > Vaya con Dios,
> > Chuck, CABGx3
> >
> >
> >
> > "Curious Lady" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > We already have the data base and I understand what you are telling me
to
> > do;
> > > however, I am not familiar with the "TextToColumns" feature or the
"MID"
> > > formula. Where would I find this and can you suggest a good question
to
> > ask
> > > Mr. Wizard Help? Thank you for your time.
> > >
> > > "CLR" wrote:
> > >
> > > > If you have not created the DataBase yet, then by all means use
separate
> > > > columns for the first and last names.......it's so much better in
the
> > long
> > > > run........if you already have such a list, then it's best to
separate
> > it
> > > > with the "TextToColumns" feature or the "MID" formula..............
> > > >
> > > > Vaya con Dios,
> > > > Chuck, CABGx3
> > > >
> > > > "Curious Lady" <Curious [email protected]> wrote in
message
> > > > news:[email protected]...
> > > > > If I create a data base with a name cell that includes both the
first
> > and
> > > > > last name, can I sort by the first letter of the last name?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> >
> >
> >

[Curious Lady]

=A9&" "&B9&" "&D9&" "&E9
And again it worked. Wonder what you do to know this. The above will
separate the Dr.'s name. It took me a while to get the formula in
correctly, not sure why, but then you can just use the fill. Interesting.
Thanks again.

"Dave Peterson" wrote:

> =A1&" "&B1
>
> or =B1&", "&A1
>
> just a note. It's usually lots easier to concatenate stuff (put it together)
> than to separate fields.
>
> Dr. James Throckmorton Smythe-Davis, III
>
> would be difficult to separate.
>
> Curious Lady wrote:
> >
> > It worked very well. Thank you. Can I then do the reverse action? If I
> > have 2 columns, first name, last name, can I merge them into a column that
> > contains the names together? Thank you again for your time.
> >
> > "CLR" wrote:
> >
> > > Save your data and use a copy for this exercize........
> > > Be sure the column to the right of your column is blank, or insert a new
> > > one...........
> > > Highlight the column with the names, then do Data > TextToColumns >
> > > Delimited > Next > check the SPACE box > finish
> > > This splits the surname over to the blank column
> > >
> > > or
> > >
> > > If your data in column A, put this in B1 and copy down.........
> > > =MID(A1,FIND(" ",A1,1)+1,99)
> > > This will put the surname in column B, leaving column A intact
> > >
> > > Vaya con Dios,
> > > Chuck, CABGx3
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > "Curious Lady" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > > news:[email protected]...
> > > > We already have the data base and I understand what you are telling me to
> > > do;
> > > > however, I am not familiar with the "TextToColumns" feature or the "MID"
> > > > formula. Where would I find this and can you suggest a good question to
> > > ask
> > > > Mr. Wizard Help? Thank you for your time.
> > > >
> > > > "CLR" wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > If you have not created the DataBase yet, then by all means use separate
> > > > > columns for the first and last names.......it's so much better in the
> > > long
> > > > > run........if you already have such a list, then it's best to separate
> > > it
> > > > > with the "TextToColumns" feature or the "MID" formula..............
> > > > >
> > > > > Vaya con Dios,
> > > > > Chuck, CABGx3
> > > > >
> > > > > "Curious Lady" <Curious [email protected]> wrote in message
> > > > > news:[email protected]...
> > > > > > If I create a data base with a name cell that includes both the first
> > > and
> > > > > > last name, can I sort by the first letter of the last name?
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
> --
>
> Dave Peterson
>