Adding a KeyID column for sorting

Hi. I'm using MS Windows XP (Home) and Excel 2003. I have a worksheet with
five columns and about 10,000 rows. I intend to do a lot of sorting on these
columns. However, I want to be absolutely certain that the original order is
always maintained (why I'm not using MS Access is a long story -- suffice it
to say that I need to use Excel). So after I do a sort and perform a few
tasks I want to click on a KeyID column and see the original order that I had
before the sorting. Occasionally I will add a few rows of new material --
say between rows 100 and 120, or between 3330 and 3340. Here are my newbie
questions: First, how do I create a KeyID column (so the rows are numbered
[automatically?] from say 1 to 10,000 or to the last row in the worksheet)?
Second, how to I renumber the column when new rows are entered amid the
original worksheet? To repeat: after sorting I want to return to the
original order, so I have to be very careful not to mess things up. Also,
did I read some where that worksheets have a tendency to become somewhat
unstable after many sorts? Could someone please give me some detailed
information about this? Thanks.

Assuming you have data in all your rows with no blanks, then insert a column
at the start of your data, in cell A1 put 1, in cell A2 put 2, in cell A3
put 3. Select A1:A3, then hover your mouse over the bottom right of the
cell A3 where you will see a small black cross - Double click this and your
series should automatically extend to the end.

If you add new rows then put a dummy number in the keyfield (anything as
long as it isn't blank) then go back and repeat step 1.

MAKE SURE when sorting that you select ALL the data before sorting, else you
may sort just one of the columns and lose all linkage to the rest of the
data.

Very very safest way is to MAKE A BACKUP COPY NOW, before you do anything
:-)

--
Regards
Ken....................... Microsoft MVP - Excel
Sys Spec - Win XP Pro / XL 97/00/02/03

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission :-)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Rebecca" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi. I'm using MS Windows XP (Home) and Excel 2003. I have a worksheet
with
> five columns and about 10,000 rows. I intend to do a lot of sorting on
these
> columns. However, I want to be absolutely certain that the original order
is
> always maintained (why I'm not using MS Access is a long story -- suffice
it
> to say that I need to use Excel). So after I do a sort and perform a few
> tasks I want to click on a KeyID column and see the original order that I
had
> before the sorting. Occasionally I will add a few rows of new material --
> say between rows 100 and 120, or between 3330 and 3340. Here are my
newbie
> questions: First, how do I create a KeyID column (so the rows are
numbered
> [automatically?] from say 1 to 10,000 or to the last row in the
worksheet)?
> Second, how to I renumber the column when new rows are entered amid the
> original worksheet? To repeat: after sorting I want to return to the
> original order, so I have to be very careful not to mess things up. Also,
> did I read some where that worksheets have a tendency to become somewhat
> unstable after many sorts? Could someone please give me some detailed
> information about this? Thanks.

I hope the OP didn't mean that rows are inserted *after* the first sort, and
*before* the "return to normal" sort.
--
Regards,

RD

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please keep all correspondence within the NewsGroup, so all may benefit !
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Ken Wright" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Assuming you have data in all your rows with no blanks, then insert a
column
> at the start of your data, in cell A1 put 1, in cell A2 put 2, in cell A3
> put 3. Select A1:A3, then hover your mouse over the bottom right of the
> cell A3 where you will see a small black cross - Double click this and
your
> series should automatically extend to the end.
>
> If you add new rows then put a dummy number in the keyfield (anything as
> long as it isn't blank) then go back and repeat step 1.
>
> MAKE SURE when sorting that you select ALL the data before sorting, else
you
> may sort just one of the columns and lose all linkage to the rest of the
> data.
>
> Very very safest way is to MAKE A BACKUP COPY NOW, before you do anything
> :-)
>
> --
> Regards
> Ken....................... Microsoft MVP - Excel
> Sys Spec - Win XP Pro / XL 97/00/02/03
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
> It's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission :-)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
>
> "Rebecca" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Hi. I'm using MS Windows XP (Home) and Excel 2003. I have a worksheet
> with
> > five columns and about 10,000 rows. I intend to do a lot of sorting on
> these
> > columns. However, I want to be absolutely certain that the original
order
> is
> > always maintained (why I'm not using MS Access is a long story --
suffice
> it
> > to say that I need to use Excel). So after I do a sort and perform a
few
> > tasks I want to click on a KeyID column and see the original order that
I
> had
> > before the sorting. Occasionally I will add a few rows of new
material --
> > say between rows 100 and 120, or between 3330 and 3340. Here are my
> newbie
> > questions: First, how do I create a KeyID column (so the rows are
> numbered
> > [automatically?] from say 1 to 10,000 or to the last row in the
> worksheet)?
> > Second, how to I renumber the column when new rows are entered amid the
> > original worksheet? To repeat: after sorting I want to return to the
> > original order, so I have to be very careful not to mess things up.
Also,
> > did I read some where that worksheets have a tendency to become somewhat
> > unstable after many sorts? Could someone please give me some detailed
> > information about this? Thanks.
>
>

hehehehe - me hopes you are correct :-)

--
Regards
Ken.......................


"Ragdyer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I hope the OP didn't mean that rows are inserted *after* the first sort,
and
> *before* the "return to normal" sort.
> --
> Regards,
>
> RD
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
> Please keep all correspondence within the NewsGroup, so all may benefit !
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
> "Ken Wright" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Assuming you have data in all your rows with no blanks, then insert a
> column
> > at the start of your data, in cell A1 put 1, in cell A2 put 2, in cell
A3
> > put 3. Select A1:A3, then hover your mouse over the bottom right of the
> > cell A3 where you will see a small black cross - Double click this and
> your
> > series should automatically extend to the end.
> >
> > If you add new rows then put a dummy number in the keyfield (anything as
> > long as it isn't blank) then go back and repeat step 1.
> >
> > MAKE SURE when sorting that you select ALL the data before sorting, else
> you
> > may sort just one of the columns and lose all linkage to the rest of the
> > data.
> >
> > Very very safest way is to MAKE A BACKUP COPY NOW, before you do
anything
> > :-)
> >
> > --
> > Regards
> > Ken....................... Microsoft MVP - Excel
> > Sys Spec - Win XP Pro / XL 97/00/02/03
> >
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> --
> > It's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission :-)
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> --
> >
> > "Rebecca" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > Hi. I'm using MS Windows XP (Home) and Excel 2003. I have a
worksheet
> > with
> > > five columns and about 10,000 rows. I intend to do a lot of sorting
on
> > these
> > > columns. However, I want to be absolutely certain that the original
> order
> > is
> > > always maintained (why I'm not using MS Access is a long story --
> suffice
> > it
> > > to say that I need to use Excel). So after I do a sort and perform a
> few
> > > tasks I want to click on a KeyID column and see the original order
that
> I
> > had
> > > before the sorting. Occasionally I will add a few rows of new
> material --
> > > say between rows 100 and 120, or between 3330 and 3340. Here are my
> > newbie
> > > questions: First, how do I create a KeyID column (so the rows are
> > numbered
> > > [automatically?] from say 1 to 10,000 or to the last row in the
> > worksheet)?
> > > Second, how to I renumber the column when new rows are entered amid
the
> > > original worksheet? To repeat: after sorting I want to return to the
> > > original order, so I have to be very careful not to mess things up.
> Also,
> > > did I read some where that worksheets have a tendency to become
somewhat
> > > unstable after many sorts? Could someone please give me some detailed
> > > information about this? Thanks.
> >
> >
>