The SORTBY function in Excel revolutionizes how we sort data by allowing formula-based, dynamic sorting without altering the source data. Unlike traditional sorting methods, SORTBY maintains your original data structure while creating sorted arrays in separate locations. Available in Excel 365 and later versions, this powerful function helps you create real-time, automatically updating sorted lists.

Sort a Single Column Using SORTBY in Excel

The SORTBY function follows this basic syntax:

=SORTBY(array, by_array1, [sort_order1], [by_array2], [sort_order2],…)

Let’s break down each component:

• array: The range you want to sort
• by_array1: The range that determines the sort order
• sort_order1: Optional. 1 for ascending (default), -1 for descending
• Additional by_array and sort_order pairs for multiple-column sorting

Example 1: Basic Single Column Sort

Let’s sort a list of products by their prices:

Product	Price
Apple	1.99
Orange	0.99
Banana	1.49

Formula:

=SORTBY(A2:A4, B2:B4)

Result:

Sorted Products
Orange
Banana
Apple

How Does SORTBY Differ from Regular Sort?

1. Formula-Based:

• SORTBY creates a dynamic formula that updates automatically
• Regular Sort physically rearranges data

1. Source Data Preservation:

• SORTBY keeps original data intact
• Regular Sort modifies the original dataset

1. Real-time Updates:

• SORTBY reflects changes immediately
• Regular Sort requires manual re-sorting

Sort Multiple Columns with SORTBY

Example 2: Primary and Secondary Sort

Consider this employee dataset:

Department	Last Name	Salary
Sales	Smith	50000
Marketing	Jones	55000
Sales	Brown	52000

To sort by Department (ascending) and then Salary (descending):

=SORTBY(A2:C4, A2:A4, 1, C2:C4, -1)

Result:

Department	Last Name	Salary
Marketing	Jones	55000
Sales	Brown	52000
Sales	Smith	50000

Creating Custom Sort Orders

Example 3: Mixed Data Types

Consider inventory data:

Item	Priority	Stock
Laptop	High	15
Mouse	Low	50
Keyboard	Medium	30

To create a custom priority sort (High > Medium > Low):

=SORTBY(A2:C4, MATCH(B2:B4,{“High”,”Medium”,”Low”},0))

Practical SORTBY Applications

Sales Data Organization

Example 4: Sales Performance Tracking

Rep	Region	Sales	Commission
Alice	North	50000	2500
Bob	South	75000	3750
Carol	East	60000	3000

Sort by Sales (descending) and Commission (descending):

=SORTBY(A2:D4, C2:C4, -1, D2:D4, -1)

Common SORTBY Formulas for Business Use

Example 5: Customer Database Sorting

Customer	Value	Status
ABC Corp	50000	Active
XYZ Inc	75000	Inactive
DEF Ltd	25000	Active

Sort by Status (Active first) then Value (descending):

=SORTBY(A2:C4, B2:B4, -1, EXACT(C2:C4,”Active”), -1)

Next Steps

The SORTBY function transforms how you handle data in Excel, offering dynamic, formula-based sorting that updates automatically as your data changes. Whether you’re managing sales data, organizing inventory, or maintaining customer databases, SORTBY provides a powerful solution for your sorting needs.

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