How to Sort by Date in Excel - Practical Guide

Learn to sort data by date in Excel to organize records chronologically. This essential skill helps you identify trends, manage deadlines, and present information logically. You'll master sorting single columns and multi-level sorts while preserving data relationships.

Why This Matters

Sorting by date is critical for analyzing time-series data, tracking project timelines, and presenting reports in logical order. Professionals in finance, project management, and analytics rely on this daily.

Prerequisites

•Basic Excel navigation and cell selection skills
•Understanding of date formats (MM/DD/YYYY or DD/MM/YYYY)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Select your data range

Click on any cell in your date column or select the entire data range including headers. For example, click cell A1 if your dates start there.

Access the Sort function

Go to Data > Sort from the top menu to open the Sort dialog box.

Identify the date column

In the Sort dialog, ensure 'My data has headers' is checked, then select your date column from the 'Sort by' dropdown menu.

Choose sort order

Select 'Oldest to Newest' for ascending chronological order (earliest dates first) or 'Newest to Oldest' for descending order.

Apply the sort

Click OK to execute the sort and your data will be reorganized by date while keeping row data intact.

Alternative Methods

Quick sort buttons

Select your date column and use the sort icons in the Data ribbon (ascending/descending arrows) for instant sorting without opening dialogs.

Custom sort with multiple criteria

Use Data > Sort with multiple levels to sort by date first, then by another column as a secondary sort criterion.

AutoFilter method

Apply Data > AutoFilter to your range, then click the dropdown arrow on the date column header to access date-specific sorting options.

Tips & Tricks

✓Always include headers in your selection to prevent sorting column titles with data.
✓Use consistent date formats throughout your spreadsheet to avoid sorting errors.
✓For multi-column data, always use Data > Sort instead of sorting single columns to maintain row relationships.

Pro Tips

★Use a helper column with DATEVALUE() function if your dates are stored as text before sorting.
★Create an advanced filter with Data > Advanced Filter to sort without altering your original data placement.
★Combine date sorting with conditional formatting (Home > Conditional Formatting) to visually highlight date ranges after sorting.

Troubleshooting

Dates not sorting chronologically (e.g., 1/10/2023 before 1/2/2023)

Your dates are stored as text. Convert them to actual date values using Data > Text to Columns, selecting 'Date' format, then resort.

Data rows are separated after sorting

You selected only one column instead of the entire range. Undo (Ctrl+Z) and reselect all related data before sorting again.

Header row moved during sort

Reopen the sort dialog and ensure 'My data has headers' is checked, then apply the sort again.

Related Excel Formulas

DATEVALUE TODAY NOW DATE

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sort by date in multiple columns simultaneously?

Yes, use Data > Sort and add multiple sort levels. For example, sort by date first (Level 1), then by department (Level 2) to organize data hierarchically while maintaining chronological order within each group.

How do I sort dates in descending order (newest first)?

Open Data > Sort, select your date column, and choose 'Newest to Oldest' from the sort order options. This arranges dates from most recent to oldest.

What if my dates are showing as numbers like 44927?

Excel is displaying date serial numbers instead of formatted dates. Right-click the cells, select Format Cells > Date, choose your preferred date format, and click OK to fix the display.

Can I undo a sort if I made a mistake?

Yes, immediately press Ctrl+Z or use Edit > Undo to revert the sort. However, this only works immediately after sorting; unsaved changes cannot be recovered.