Mastering Pivot Table Sorting: A Deep Dive

Sorting data within a pivot table is fundamental to extracting meaningful insights and creating compelling reports. It’s the art of arranging your information to highlight key trends, identify outliers, and ultimately, tell the story your data holds. This article will provide a comprehensive understanding of how to sort data in a pivot table and answer common questions that users often encounter.

The Core: How to Sort Data in a Pivot Table

Sorting data in a pivot table is relatively straightforward, but mastering the nuances allows for much more powerful analysis. Here’s a breakdown of the primary methods:

1. Sorting Row and Column Labels: This is the most common type of sorting. You can sort based on the row or column labels themselves (alphabetically or numerically) or based on the values associated with those labels.

   • Right-Click Method: The easiest way to sort is to right-click on the row or column label you want to sort. A context menu appears, offering options like “Sort A to Z,” “Sort Z to A,” “Sort Smallest to Largest,” and “Sort Largest to Smallest.” The actual options shown will depend on the data type of the selected column/row. Choose the appropriate option to instantly reorder your data.
   • Sort Options within the PivotTable Fields Pane: In the PivotTable Fields pane (typically located on the right side of the Excel window), you can click the dropdown arrow next to the field name in the Row Labels or Column Labels area. Select “More Sort Options…” This opens a dialog box where you have more granular control over the sorting process.
     • Sort By: You can choose to sort by the field name itself (alphabetical/numerical) or by a specific value field within the pivot table.
     • Ascending/Descending: Choose the order of sorting (ascending or descending).

2. Sorting Value Fields: You might need to sort based on the values displayed in the Data area of your pivot table. This allows you to quickly identify the highest or lowest performing items.

   • Right-Click Method (Again!): Right-click on a cell within the data area of your pivot table. Select “Sort,” and then choose either “Sort Smallest to Largest” or “Sort Largest to Smallest.” The sorting will apply to the entire column or row where you clicked, based on the values in that column/row. Excel intelligently determines the scope of the sort based on your selection.
   • Sort Options within the PivotTable Fields Pane (Value Fields): As with row and column labels, you can use the PivotTable Fields pane to sort value fields. You’ll likely need to click on the dropdown associated with the specific value field in the Values area and select “More Sort Options…” Then, in the sort options screen, ensure you’re sorting by the correct value.

3. Manual Sorting (Drag and Drop): Pivot tables allow for manual sorting, which gives you complete control over the order of your rows or columns.

   • Click and Drag: Click on the border of a row or column label that you want to move. The cursor will change to a four-headed arrow. Drag the row or column to its desired position. A dark line will indicate where the row or column will be inserted when you release the mouse button. This is best used when a very specific, non-algorithmic sort order is needed.

4. Using Custom Lists for Sorting: You can define custom lists (e.g., month names, department codes) to sort your data in a specific, pre-defined order.

   • Excel Options: Create the Custom List in Excel Options (File > Options > Advanced > Edit Custom Lists).
   • Applying the List: In the PivotTable Fields pane, select “More Sort Options…” Choose the field you want to sort and select your custom list from the “First key sort order” dropdown.

5. Sorting Multiple Levels of Hierarchy: When you have multiple row or column fields, you can sort at each level of the hierarchy. For example, you can sort products within each region. Use the Sort Options dialog for fine-grained control over sorting at different levels.

6. Dealing with Subtotals and Grand Totals: Sorting can sometimes affect the display of subtotals and grand totals. Make sure to understand how the sorting is influencing these aggregated values and adjust the sorting accordingly to get the desired result.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions about sorting data in pivot tables, addressing common scenarios and challenges.

1. How do I sort a pivot table by a value that isn’t directly displayed as a row or column?

This often involves adding the desired value to the Row or Column area of the pivot table temporarily for sorting, then removing it. For instance, if you want to sort customers by their total order count (but don’t want the order count displayed), add the Order Count field to the Rows area, sort based on that column, then remove the Order Count field again. A more robust approach involves creating a calculated field that provides the sorting criteria without needing to be displayed directly.

2. My sorting seems to be ignored after I refresh the pivot table. What’s happening?

The pivot table might be reverting to its default sort order upon refresh. To prevent this, after you’ve applied your desired sorting, go to PivotTable Analyze tab > Options > Data. Ensure that the “Retain cell formatting on update” option is checked. While not directly a sorting option, this setting helps the pivot table “remember” your customization, including sorting, across refreshes. Additionally, sometimes the source data contains errors that, when refreshed, prevent the table from displaying the sorted fields as intended.

3. How can I sort a pivot table by a date field in chronological order?

Excel typically recognizes date fields and sorts them chronologically by default. However, if the dates are being treated as text, you need to ensure they are correctly formatted as dates in the source data. You can do this by selecting the date column in your source data, going to the Home tab > Number format, and choosing a date format. After refreshing the pivot table, the date field should sort correctly.

4. How do I sort a pivot table that is connected to an external data source?

The sorting process is the same, regardless of the data source. However, performance might be affected by the size and speed of the external data source. Ensure the external data source is indexed appropriately for faster retrieval.

5. Can I sort a pivot table based on a conditional formatting rule?

No, you cannot directly sort a pivot table based on conditional formatting. Conditional formatting is a visual aid, not a sorting criterion. If you want to sort based on the same conditions as your formatting rule, you’ll need to create a calculated field that reflects the rule’s logic, and then sort by that calculated field.

6. My pivot table is displaying a “(blank)” category. How can I sort this to the bottom?

Unfortunately, pivot tables don’t offer a direct option to force blanks to the bottom. However, a workaround is to use a calculated field to replace the blank values with a value that sorts lower than other values (e.g., “ZZZZ”). Then, sort by the calculated field. Alternatively, you can filter out the blank values entirely using the filter options for the row or column label.

7. How do I sort a pivot table by a grand total column?

Right-click on any cell within the Grand Total column. Choose “Sort” and then the desired sorting order (e.g., “Sort Largest to Smallest”). The entire pivot table will be sorted based on the values in the Grand Total column.

8. Is it possible to sort only a subset of rows or columns in a pivot table?

No, pivot tables apply sorting to the entire row or column. You can’t sort only a portion of the table independently. For such fine-grained control, you might need to restructure your data or use other Excel functions outside the pivot table.

9. How can I maintain a specific sort order when new data is added to the source data?

As mentioned before, ensure “Retain cell formatting on update” option is checked. Also, if the new data introduces new items in the row/column labels, review your custom lists to see if you need to add them to the custom sort you have already setup.

10. My sorting is working in reverse order of what I expect. Why?

Double-check that you’ve selected the correct sorting option (Ascending vs. Descending, Smallest to Largest vs. Largest to Smallest). It’s easy to accidentally select the wrong option. Also, if sorting alphabetically, ensure that numbers or special characters aren’t interfering with the alphabetical order.

11. Can I save different sort orders for different views of the same pivot table?

Pivot tables don’t directly support saving multiple sort orders. However, you can create multiple pivot tables based on the same source data, each with its own unique sorting. Another approach is to use Slicers and Timelines to filter the data and then apply the sorting to the filtered view.

12. How do I handle sorting when my pivot table has errors (e.g., #DIV/0!)?

Errors in the data can disrupt sorting. The easiest solution is to address the errors in your source data. If that’s not possible, you can use the IFERROR() function in a calculated field to replace the error values with a sortable value (e.g., 0 or a very large number) and then sort based on that calculated field. This prevents the error values from interfering with the overall sorting.