Random Sort

[koba]

Hi All

Does anybody know a way to randomly sort data.

I am running a competition and want to randomly sort the names in column a to that i can then pick one.

Unless anyone else knows a good way of picking a winner out of 192 names (does not have to use exel)

Thanks

[George]

Lets assume Column A has your names for example
Try using =RAND() in column B
Then sort on column B

Note:
The random numbers will change every time you recalculate the sheet
So if you want to keep the original random numbers, you could copy and
'paste special > values' over themselves
Or you could delete column B after sorting.

Hope it helps
George


koba wrote:
> Hi All
>
> Does anybody know a way to randomly sort data.
>
> I am running a competition and want to randomly sort the names in
> column a to that i can then pick one.
>
> Unless anyone else knows a good way of picking a winner out of 192
> names (does not have to use exel)
>
> Thanks
>
>

[Dave Peterson]

Use a helper column and put =rand() in the first cell and drag down the column.

Then sort all the columns by this helper column.

(names on slips of paper drawn from a hat?)

koba wrote:
>
> Hi All
>
> Does anybody know a way to randomly sort data.
>
> I am running a competition and want to randomly sort the names in
> column a to that i can then pick one.
>
> Unless anyone else knows a good way of picking a winner out of 192
> names (does not have to use exel)
>
> Thanks
>
> --
> koba
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> koba's Profile: http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=28639
> View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=522911

--

Dave Peterson

[daddylonglegs]

Well, you could write all the names on pieces of paper and put them in a hat....

But seriously....if you have your names in A1:A192 and want to pick one at random use this formula

=INDEX(A1:A192,RAND()*ROWS(A1:A192)+1)