Excel peeps: sort multiple columns at same time

I have a column of 30 lap times. I want to sort it smallest to largest. I hit the AZ^ button on the sort menu, Bob's your auntie.

How do I do this in batches? I have 78 columns of lap times next to each other. I want to sort each column just like above, but if I highlight the cell range, sort no longer works.

 

Put something in the top row. Like “lap time” or rider …

then mark all of row 1 and do “apply filter”

once the filter option appears you can do sort: smallest to largest

 

That's not working, or I'm not understanding what you're saying.

Once I label and create a filter, I've essentially created a table. If I sort one column smallest to largest, all other columns are sorted based on the relative cell positions to the sorted column. The other columns are not also sorted smallest to largest.

 

If you have 78 columns of 30 rows each, from a bunch of different racers, you will need to do a custom sort.

You select the first column, sort A--> Z
Then
You select the second column, sort A --> Z
Etc
until you reach the end of the column list.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/sort-data-in-a-table-77b781bf-5074-41b0-897a-dc37d4515f27#:~:text=In Excel, you can sort,or do a custom sort.

 

Yeah, that's what I've been doing. Was just wondering if there was a more efficient way. Beginning to think there isn't one.

 

You could try putting a gap column in between each column of data, then using filters
Data, Gap, Data, Gap, etc.

 

There might be a way with min and max but don’t ask me how.

 

Could probably make a macro for that pretty easily.

 

Never send a spreadsheet to do a database’s work.

 

Tried, no go.

 

Ultimately, I think this is what I want/need to do, but I don't know how.

I should have studied computer languages in school.

 

Macros aren't that bad though, you don't really need to know much about VBA to do simple ones. You can record actions you want it to do and it'll make the code for you. It would take a bit of learning but it could be useful for the future too.

Or just brute force it and get it over with

 

You might have to convert all your laptimes to seconds and then sort them
You can copy this formula and paste it into the first cell of a new column next to the lap times. Then, copy the formula down to all the rows of lap times to convert them all to seconds.

Code:

=TIMEVALUE("00:"&A1)*86400

 

^ and then convert them back into min:sec.000 format