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Excel - Fast Way to Rearrange all Columns in Excel Using Sort Left to Right - Episode 544

807 views · Published 29 July 2009 · 2:12 · Indexed 20 September 2026

Channel: MrExcel.com · 2009 · Education

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Microsoft Excel Tutorial: Fast Way to Rearrange all Columns in Excel Using Sort Left to Right.
Welcome to another MrExcel netcast! In yesterday's episode, we learned a simple trick for rearranging one column to another place. But what if you need to rearrange all of your columns? Don't worry, I've got you covered. In this video, I'll show you how to easily rearrange all of your columns in just a few simple steps.

First, let's take a look at our data set. As you can see, the columns are completely out of order. To fix this, we'll need to insert a new row above the data set. Then, we'll add sequence numbers to indicate the desired order of our columns. For example, customer numbers will be first, followed by street, city, state, zip, and then invoice number, invoice date, and amount.

Next, we'll go to the data menu and choose "sort data." In the options tab, we'll select "sort left to right" instead of the usual "top to bottom" option. This will allow us to sort by row numbers instead of column headings. We'll select row 1 and choose ascending sequence, then click OK. And just like that, all of our columns are now rearranged! Keep in mind that the column widths may not stay the same, so you may need to use the "format column autofit selection" option to make everything line up perfectly.

If you're using Excel 2007 or later, the sorting process is a bit different. You'll still need to insert a new row with the desired column sequence, but then you'll go to the data tab on the ribbon and click the "sort" button. From there, you'll select the "options" button and choose "sort left to right." Then, you can select row 1 and choose ascending sequence, and click OK. Just like in earlier versions of Excel, this will rearrange all of your columns in the correct order.

So there you have it, a simple and efficient way to rearrange all of your columns in Excel. Thanks for tuning in to this netcast, and be sure to join us again on Monday for more helpful tips and tricks from MrExcel. Don't forget to like and subscribe for more Excel tutorials. See you next time!

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In yesterdays podcast, I showed how to rearrange one column. But  what if you need to rearrange all of the columns? Episode 544 shows how to use a little known sorting trick to sort the columns back to the original sequence.

This blog is the video podcast companion to the book, Learn Excel from MrExcel. Download a new two minute video every workday to learn one of the 277 tips from the book!

Table of Contents:
(00:00) Introduction by Bill Jelen
(00:11) Rearranging columns using cut and insert
(00:21) Trick for rearranging columns in wrong sequence
(00:31) Adding sequence numbers and sorting left to right
(00:48) Rearranging columns in Excel 2007
(01:41) Sorting columns instead of rows
(01:52) Clicking Like really helps the algorithm

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