Sort by groups

Originally Posted by bobbismal

I'm trying to make a list of accounts and passwords. Had them scribbled down on a piece of paper and added them to a spreadsheet in no real order. Is there anyway to keep each group (account, name, password) in tact so the right name and password stay with the correct account but put them in ABC order by account? ie.

account.. name ..........password
Leoville
.............bobbismal......password

fatwallet
.............bobbismal......password

ebay
.............myname........chair

(periods added to show different colums)

Hi,

try a helper column with (say column E from cell E2 onwards)

=IF(A2="",E1,A2)

If you have no headers then in cell E1 put =A1

Select whole rows, sort over column E then by name etc.

hth
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Originally Posted by bobbismal

Could you say that in english? This is the first time I've used Excel.

a 'helper' column is a column that helps, in this case, helps to store something for you to sort over.

Column E was suggested and used in the example, however you may select any column that is not already occupied with data or formula.

Do you have a header row or does your data start in row 1?

IF you have no header row (a row, usually row 1, that indicates the purpose of the column) then in cell E1 put the formula

=A1

in cell E2 put the formula

=IF(A2="",E1,A2)

and formula fill that as far as your data extends.

Formula fill is explained at http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/fillhand.htm

Select the Helper column (E) and Copy

Select cell E1 and Paste Special, select Values.

Select the area to be sorted, and select Data (from the toolbar), Sort, select whether you have header row (or not), select column E as the first key, and your name column as the second key, and sort.

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