# Microsoft Office Application Help - Excel Help forum > For Other Platforms(Mac, Google Docs, Mobile OS etc) >  >  Sorting by Letter Grades (A+, A, A-, etc.)

## easterebel

Hi, I am struggling to sort my students by letter grade. I have already created a custom list, but it does not solves the problem. Ideally, I would be able to sort and it would show me in order from A+ through F. Currently, the "+'s" and the "-'s" are messing everything up. Help please!

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## Geeta2013

Hi - You will need to create a scale - A=1; A+=2 until you get to F.  You can then run a vlookup from the Column with the Student's grades, to the Table you created.

Then sort by the column with the returned data.Sorting Grades.xlsx

See attached example.

Let me know if this works.

Geeta

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## easterebel

Thank you for your response, Geeta. I am afraid I should have added that I am very much a novice at Excel. I'm not sure how to implement what you have responded. Could you send a step by step idiot guide?
Thank you again, 
James

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## protonLeah

How did you create your list?

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## Geeta2013

Step 1	Create a matching list for each letter grade and assign it a number in the column to the right.  See columns G and H in my example.													
Step 2 	Place the Names of your students in one column, the grades the earn in the colum to the right (My example names are in Column B, Grades are in Column C) Add another Column to the right of the Grades Column (this will be where the vlookup will be placed).													
Step 3	In the first cell (D8 in my example) of the Column to the right of the Grades Column (Titled # from Matching List on mine), insert this :'=vlookup(C8,$G$3:$H$21,2,FALSE)													
	*  ' the vlookup is basically saying look for what is in Cell C1, in the range that is the Matching list, and bring me back, the matching number that is in the 2nd column.													
	*  the Dollar signs is to makes sure your range is static and the cells does not move around - you only need this for the matching list.													
Step 4	Select all the Data including Headings, and go to Data / Sort / check my data has headers, Sort by (drop down to # From Matching List), Sort on Values, Smallest to Largest) and the columns with the Grades will also sort.													

	This should get the result you need - you can then get rid of the Helper Column (which is what the vlookup column is called generally.													
Instructions:

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