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Excel - Remembering Original Sequence of Data using a Sequence Helper Column - Episode 982

830 views · Published 31 March 2009 · 2:26 · Indexed 20 September 2026

Channel: MrExcel.com · 2009 · Education

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Microsoft Excel Tutorial:  Remembering Original Sequence of Data using a Sequence Helper Column.
Welcome back to the MrExcel netcast, where we tackle the toughest Excel problems and find the most efficient solutions. In this episode, we're going to be discussing how to deal with massive amounts of data and how to analyze it effectively using pivot tables. So, let's dive in and see if you can solve this problem with us.

As mentioned, we often encounter situations where we have a large dataset and need to make changes to a specific subset of records. In yesterday's episode, we discussed one solution from Mike Gel Gervin, but today we're going to explore another great idea from Mike himself. Mike suggested sorting the data so that it's all together in the original dataset, and then adding a new column called "yes" to identify the records we want to change.

To implement this solution, we'll use a simple formula to check if the record contains the word "DATA" and if the column is equal to 1, 2, or 3. This will give us a list of "true" values for the records we want to change. Then, we can easily sort the data by this new column and make the necessary changes to the identified records. But what about getting the data back into its original sequence? That's where Mike's brilliant idea of adding a "sequence column" comes in.

By adding a sequence column, we can easily sort the data back to its original sequence after making the changes. This allows us to perform any transformations we need to do, such as using the "Edit" and "Replace" function, on a nice, contiguous block of records. And with the help of the sequence column, we can easily revert the data back to its original sequence. This is a great solution that saves us time and effort, and we want to thank Mike for sharing it with us.

So, if you're dealing with a similar problem in Excel, give this method a try and let us know how it works for you. And as always, thank you for tuning in to the MrExcel netcast. We'll be back with more helpful tips and tricks for Excel in our next episode. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more Excel content. See you next time!

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Mike Girvin wonders why Joe from Episode 977 doesn't just sort the data so that all the filtered records are together? You can do this if you use an Original Sequence column so that you can sort back. Episode 982 shows you how.

This video is the podcast companion to the book, Learn Excel 97-2007 from MrExcel. Download a new two minute video every workday to learn one of the 377 tips from the book!

Table of Contents
(00:00) Remember original sequence of data using a SEQUENCE column
(00:46) Need to sort data to make a formula work
(01:13) Add a column to remember the original sequence
(01:34) Easy to sort back to original sequence
(01:54) Clicking Like really helps the algorithm


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