# Microsoft Office Application Help - Excel Help forum > Excel General >  > [SOLVED] Dates seem formatted correctly, but will not sort newest to oldest.

## MelindaCapri

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  :Mad:  now! LOL

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## shg

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

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## MelindaCapri

WOW!!! Thanks Why does this work?

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## shg

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.

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## MelindaCapri

Thank you!

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## Cutter

@ 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.

Also, as a new member of the forum, you may not be aware that you can thank those who have helped you by clicking the small star icon located in the lower left corner of the post in which the help was given. By doing so you can add to the reputation(s) of those who helped.

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## laqa

Did not work for me, one cell was not sorted. Others were. Thanks.

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