Hi,
This may sound pretty stupid to you guys but I'm stumped. I have a spread
sheet I created that is nothing more than a list of names and addresses. I
wanted to do a mail merge. Anyway I accidentally sorted only the last name
column decending. Now all the last names are not 'connected' to the correct
first names! I tried exiting the sheet and saying 'no' when asked to save the
sheet. Didn't help! How can I get these names back where they belong?

The only chance I can think of is if maybe they were sorted ASCENDING
originally, then using a COPY of your file, just try re-sorting on the
LastName column in ASCENDING order.........otherwise, I think you are out of
luck.

Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3



"roselaurel" wrote:

Hi,
This may sound pretty stupid to you guys but I'm stumped. I have a spread
sheet I created that is nothing more than a list of names and addresses. I
wanted to do a mail merge. Anyway I accidentally sorted only the last name
column decending. Now all the last names are not 'connected' to the correct
first names! I tried exiting the sheet and saying 'no' when asked to save the
sheet. Didn't help! How can I get these names back where they belong?

Rose,

You can't. You've sorted only one column. You've done the Excel Sort of
Disaster. It happens to many. If you didn't do an undo, or if you saved
the file after the sort (after which you can't undo anyhow), you're out of
luck. A backup copy of the file is probably your only hope now. There's no
way an Excel tool could know which last names go with which first name or
other stuff.

Many have wept and wailed. Some release ago, Excel improved its warnings,
like when it sees data in adjacent columns. I think it should also clearly
warn, any time that only one column is selected, that only that column will
be sorted. I don't think it's likely to happen.

If you're using Word for the mail merge, you can sort the output on any of
the fields, instead of first sorting the Excel list. How you do it varies
with the version of Word.
--
Earl Kiosterud
www.smokeylake.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"roselaurel" wrote in message
...
Hi,
This may sound pretty stupid to you guys but I'm stumped. I have a spread
sheet I created that is nothing more than a list of names and addresses. I
wanted to do a mail merge. Anyway I accidentally sorted only the last name
column decending. Now all the last names are not 'connected' to the
correct
first names! I tried exiting the sheet and saying 'no' when asked to save
the
sheet. Didn't help! How can I get these names back where they belong?

I am one that suffered the Excel sort fate and had to re enter every single
line of data which kinda teaches you not to do it again. (Two full days work)

What I do now is use col A for a simple numerical list (1 2 3 etc) with auto
fill its very simple and will allow you to retain the 'original' order no
matter how often you sort.

The other thing I do is save regulalry as I am adding data or making changes
with a incremental file name (myworkbook 1.01.001.xls) so if all else fails I
have an older copy that does not require quite so much time to rectify the
problem.

Regards

Dave

"Earl Kiosterud" wrote:

Rose,

You can't. You've sorted only one column. You've done the Excel Sort of
Disaster. It happens to many. If you didn't do an undo, or if you saved
the file after the sort (after which you can't undo anyhow), you're out of
luck. A backup copy of the file is probably your only hope now. There's no
way an Excel tool could know which last names go with which first name or
other stuff.

Many have wept and wailed. Some release ago, Excel improved its warnings,
like when it sees data in adjacent columns. I think it should also clearly
warn, any time that only one column is selected, that only that column will
be sorted. I don't think it's likely to happen.

If you're using Word for the mail merge, you can sort the output on any of
the fields, instead of first sorting the Excel list. How you do it varies
with the version of Word.
--
Earl Kiosterud
www.smokeylake.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"roselaurel" wrote in message
...
Hi,
This may sound pretty stupid to you guys but I'm stumped. I have a spread
sheet I created that is nothing more than a list of names and addresses. I
wanted to do a mail merge. Anyway I accidentally sorted only the last name
column decending. Now all the last names are not 'connected' to the
correct
first names! I tried exiting the sheet and saying 'no' when asked to save
the
sheet. Didn't help! How can I get these names back where they belong?

Good advice Dave, I do the same thing............
The other thing I do is save regulalry as I am adding data or making changes
with a incremental file name (myworkbook 1.01.001.xls) so if all else fails I
have an older copy that does not require quite so much time to rectify the
problem.

Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3



"Dave S" wrote:

I am one that suffered the Excel sort fate and had to re enter every single
line of data which kinda teaches you not to do it again. (Two full days work)

What I do now is use col A for a simple numerical list (1 2 3 etc) with auto
fill its very simple and will allow you to retain the 'original' order no
matter how often you sort.

The other thing I do is save regulalry as I am adding data or making changes
with a incremental file name (myworkbook 1.01.001.xls) so if all else fails I
have an older copy that does not require quite so much time to rectify the
problem.

Regards

Dave

"Earl Kiosterud" wrote:

Rose,

You can't. You've sorted only one column. You've done the Excel Sort of
Disaster. It happens to many. If you didn't do an undo, or if you saved
the file after the sort (after which you can't undo anyhow), you're out of
luck. A backup copy of the file is probably your only hope now. There's no
way an Excel tool could know which last names go with which first name or
other stuff.

Many have wept and wailed. Some release ago, Excel improved its warnings,
like when it sees data in adjacent columns. I think it should also clearly
warn, any time that only one column is selected, that only that column will
be sorted. I don't think it's likely to happen.

If you're using Word for the mail merge, you can sort the output on any of
the fields, instead of first sorting the Excel list. How you do it varies
with the version of Word.
--
Earl Kiosterud
www.smokeylake.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"roselaurel" wrote in message
...
Hi,
This may sound pretty stupid to you guys but I'm stumped. I have a spread
sheet I created that is nothing more than a list of names and addresses. I
wanted to do a mail merge. Anyway I accidentally sorted only the last name
column decending. Now all the last names are not 'connected' to the
correct
first names! I tried exiting the sheet and saying 'no' when asked to save
the
sheet. Didn't help! How can I get these names back where they belong?

Dave,

The numeric ID column is a good idea. It's called "arrival sequence" in
some database systems. But unfortunately, one could still sort one column
of the table, and ruin it. I think your backup plan is the only real
protection.

I strongly think that Excel should issue a clear warning whenever one column
has been selected and a sort attempted. This still won't protect against
many other sort insults, like having an empty column in the table (which
causes a split in the expanded selection used to do the sort), which would
result in a similar fate for the table as you had.

The "quick sort" buttons on the toolbar are for casual use, but require the
most awareness of how the sort (and table selection) is performed,
ironically. This is an unfortunate lapse of judgement on the part of
Microsoft. Glitzy? Yeah, but good for many users? Definitely not. The
safest thing is to manually select the table and use Data - Sort. Take the
quick sort buttons off the user's toolbars.

I've seen enough weeping and knashing of teeth on the part of users to have
this opinion about this "Sort of Disaster" issue with Excel.
--
Earl Kiosterud
www.smokeylake.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Dave S" wrote in message
...
I am one that suffered the Excel sort fate and had to re enter every single
line of data which kinda teaches you not to do it again. (Two full days
work)

What I do now is use col A for a simple numerical list (1 2 3 etc) with
auto
fill its very simple and will allow you to retain the 'original' order no
matter how often you sort.

The other thing I do is save regulalry as I am adding data or making
changes
with a incremental file name (myworkbook 1.01.001.xls) so if all else
fails I
have an older copy that does not require quite so much time to rectify the
problem.

Regards

Dave

"Earl Kiosterud" wrote:

Rose,

You can't. You've sorted only one column. You've done the Excel Sort of
Disaster. It happens to many. If you didn't do an undo, or if you saved
the file after the sort (after which you can't undo anyhow), you're out
of
luck. A backup copy of the file is probably your only hope now. There's
no
way an Excel tool could know which last names go with which first name or
other stuff.

Many have wept and wailed. Some release ago, Excel improved its
warnings,
like when it sees data in adjacent columns. I think it should also
clearly
warn, any time that only one column is selected, that only that column
will
be sorted. I don't think it's likely to happen.

If you're using Word for the mail merge, you can sort the output on any
of
the fields, instead of first sorting the Excel list. How you do it
varies
with the version of Word.
--
Earl Kiosterud
www.smokeylake.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"roselaurel" wrote in message
...
Hi,
This may sound pretty stupid to you guys but I'm stumped. I have a
spread
sheet I created that is nothing more than a list of names and
addresses. I
wanted to do a mail merge. Anyway I accidentally sorted only the last
name
column decending. Now all the last names are not 'connected' to the
correct
first names! I tried exiting the sheet and saying 'no' when asked to
save
the
sheet. Didn't help! How can I get these names back where they belong?