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losing header row when sorting in Excel 2003

Anonymous
2010-07-12T15:31:58+00:00

I have a table with multiple columns. When I select a cell in any one column and select the shortcut toolbar option to sort ascending, it includes the header row in the sort and moves it to the bottom. I can go to the 'data' menu and select sort and then check the 'header row' option and it will sort correctly but then if I try the sort button in the toolbar again, not the 'data' menu, then it loses the header row again.

This is something new. For months I have been able to select a cell in a column, hit the sort ascending button, and whammo, the sort was done leaving the header row intact. Now, the toolbar button sort somehow does not realize there is a header row.

How do I get the sort to recognize the header without using the 'data' menu, sort option?

The data contains both text and numbers.

I am using Excel 2003.

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Anonymous
2010-07-12T19:43:55+00:00

The header row needs to be "different" from the data rows or Excel can't tell. It could be as simple as making the header row BOLD, then the buttons may work just fine!

Bob Umlas

Excel MVP

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-07-13T14:10:08+00:00

    My apologies. I figured out last night that there was one column without a title. Apparently Excel does not like untitled columns. Once I entered a title everything was fine!

    Thanks for the reply and sorry for the inconvenience of posting an issue that was my own fault...

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  2. Ashish Mathur 101.9K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2011-07-03T23:27:13+00:00

    Hi,

    When sorting, it is a good practice to select the explicit data range (with the first row as the header row) and then go to Data > Sort.  May a times, due to the existence of blank rows, the data range selected by MS Excel for sorting is not correct.

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  4. Anonymous
    2011-03-16T16:07:01+00:00

    I have a table with multiple columns. When I select a cell in any one column and select the shortcut toolbar option to sort ascending, it includes the header row in the sort and moves it to the bottom. I can go to the 'data' menu and select sort and then check the 'header row' option and it will sort correctly but then if I try the sort button in the toolbar again, not the 'data' menu, then it loses the header row again.

    This is something new. For months I have been able to select a cell in a column, hit the sort ascending button, and whammo, the sort was done leaving the header row intact. Now, the toolbar button sort somehow does not realize there is a header row.

    How do I get the sort to recognize the header without using the 'data' menu, sort option?

    The data contains both text and numbers.

    I am using Excel 2003.

     

    I have this problem but my header text is a different colour, with a different background, bolded and in a different font size. Still Excel no longer recognizes my header automatically when I sort. What am I doing wrong? I can't find the answer anywhere.

    I am also using Excel 2003.

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