Dates seem formatted correctly, but will not sort newest to oldest.

**MelindaCapri** · 08-31-2012, 02:59 PM

I have a column of dates that were formatted as "General". Next, I formatted them as dd/mm/yyyy. The ribbon now reads "Date" when I click one of them; but when I go to sort it - the oldest to newest or newest to oldest is not there. I only see the A-Z or Z-A or custom sort.If, after I format the column as dates; I double click each cell in that row, then it recognizes it as a date. I have copied it and pasted into a new worksheet as text only and that doesn't work.

Please help I am getting

now! LOL

**shg** · 08-31-2012, 03:01 PM

Select the column, Data > Text to columns, Finish.

**MelindaCapri** · 08-31-2012, 03:05 PM

WOW!!! Thanks Why does this work?

**shg** · 08-31-2012, 03:19 PM

It works because TTC converts data to what it looks like.

You would do yourself a favor if you restored Excel's default horizontal formatting ("General"), and never changed it; text aligns left and numbers align right, so you can tell at a glance what's what. People spend a ridiculous amount of time chasing this problem, and it's almost always self-inflicted.

**MelindaCapri** · 08-31-2012, 03:21 PM

Thank you!

**Cutter** · 08-31-2012, 10:16 PM

@ MelindaCapri

Based on your last post it seems that you are satisfied with the solution(s) you've received but you haven't marked your thread as SOLVED. I'll do that for you now but please keep in mind for your future threads that Rule #9 requires you to do that yourself. If your problem has not been solved you can use Thread Tools (located above your first post) and choose "Mark this thread as unsolved".
Thanks.

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