Group/sort rows based on values in multiple columns?

**teitoku** · 08-07-2012, 01:47 PM

Hi all,

I have a spreadsheet that shows ID numbers in column A, and then multiple differing values in columns D through X. I'd like to sort or somehow group those IDs which share the same values in their columns D through X, so they can be assigned to share templates in another system.

If there weren't so many columns of values, I'd just do a Sort By / Then By / Then By, but with 21 columns, it's tricky. Surely there's some kind-of simple way. What can I do?

Thank you,

T.

**oeldere** · 08-07-2012, 01:52 PM

You get better help if you post an Excel-example of your workbook, without confidential information.

Make sure the workbook demonstrates your desired results if possible, or just highlight the cells you're trying to fix.

Use BEFORE/AFTER sheets if that helps make it clearer.

**gsniadak** · 08-07-2012, 02:01 PM

Have you considered creating a sorting field, where it contains the concatinated vales of the cells you want to sort?

**teitoku** · 08-07-2012, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by oeldere

You get better help if you post an Excel-example of your workbook, without confidential information.

I've tried in three different browsers, but each time I click Manage Attachments, a blank page is loaded. Sorry.

Originally Posted by gsniadak

Have you considered creating a sorting field, where it contains the concatenated vales of the cells you want to sort?

How so? Like.. summing the values of the rows and sorting by that sum?

**gsniadak** · 08-07-2012, 02:13 PM

No, not summing, concatinating.
Summing would be A1 + A2; concatinating would be A1 & A2. It joins multiple text values together into a single value

**teitoku** · 08-07-2012, 02:20 PM

Excellent idea! I'll see how that goes over.

edit: Seems to work. With 15,000+ rows, though, it's hard to be sure. I did your concatenate method, then Advanced Filtered out unique records, and it looks like there are about 400 different combos of values.