Sorting an Excel worksheet with multiple layers

Question

Sorting an Excel worksheet with multiple layers

FLMParker-2584 0

Is it possible to sort an Excel Worksheet by three categories, Column D, then C, then B. Under Sort it seems one can only ask that one column be sorted. Such as A-Z Column D, then A-Z Column C, then A-Z column B.

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Jeronimo Fuerte 42,125 Independent Advisor

To sort an Excel worksheet with multiple layers manually, start by selecting your entire dataset, including headers, and navigating to the Data tab to click the Sort button. In the dialog box that appears, set your primary sorting column using the "Sort by" dropdown and choose your order. To create multiple layers, simply click Add Level to introduce "Then by" rows, selecting your secondary and tertiary columns. Excel will process these rules from top to bottom, organizing your data hierarchically based on the exact order of the levels you defined.

FLMParker-2584 0 Reputation points

2026-07-14T03:31:08.3466667+00:00

Thank you so very much . I will try that!
Jeronimo Fuerte 42,125 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-07-14T03:37:16.4733333+00:00

A pleasure, have a great day!
FLMParker-2584 0 Reputation points

2026-07-14T04:39:22.65+00:00

I am using MS Office 2021.

I selected the entire excel file including headers.

Under “Home” I clicked on “Sort and Find.”

I vhise Custom Sort

I checked “My List Has Headings.”

I chose column D—category

The spreadsheet was sorted alphabetically by column D—category

I don’t know how then groupings of category types to further sort by Author and then after that, to Title,

if I could do these three levels of sorting, the list would show the order of the books through all these: first categories, then author, then title. With this we could do a full inventory on the entire library. My command would be

sort by category ,

In each category sort alphabetically by Authors last name.

in each of the authors’ list

alphabetize by title of book.

I am not yes seeing how to layer these three sorts.

Are my problems with sorting because of my Microsoft office 2021 software?

what am I not seeing? Thanks for your trouble.
FLMParker-2584 0 Reputation points

2026-07-14T04:57:02.6933333+00:00
What I don’t see is:

To create multiple layers, simply click Add Level to introduce "Then by" rows, selecting your secondary and tertiary columns

my sort box has only Add levels to sort by;

Column

and you can only pick one sort by, the toggle takes you to either one of the four headings

Category, Author, Title, or acq. no.

those are my four headers.
Jeronimo Fuerte 42,125 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-07-14T19:40:36.89+00:00
It seems that you're not adding additional sort levels. As shown in the picture below, after selecting your entire dataset and opening Custom Sort, Excel creates the first sort level by default.

To sort by multiple columns, click Add Level. Each time you do, a new Then by row will appear. In that new row, select the Author column and choose the sort order (typically A to Z). Then click Add Level again to create a third row, select the Title column, and choose A to Z as well.

Your final sort should look similar to this:

Sort by: Category → A to Z

Then by: Author → A to Z

Then by: Title → A to Z

Once you click OK, Excel will first group the books by Category, then alphabetize the Authors within each category, and finally alphabetize the Titles for each author. This feature is fully supported in Office 2021.
FLMParker-2584 0 Reputation points

2026-07-15T21:24:26.2866667+00:00

I appreciate you willing to take time to sort this thing out. The window you have shown me is beautiful and would solve my problem, but my screen looks like this. I don't see a way to add other levels. My Office program is Office, Home, & Student 2021.

I hope there is a way for me to get the window you showed me.
FLMParker-2584 0 Reputation points

2026-07-15T21:36:29.95+00:00

Oh Wow, you did it. Thank you! If you can help an amateur like me you can help anyone.
Jeronimo Fuerte 42,125 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-07-15T21:39:07.76+00:00

A pleasure, have a great day!

1 additional answer

Your answer

FLMParker-2584 0 Reputation points

2026-07-14T03:31:08.3466667+00:00

Thank you so very much . I will try that!
Jeronimo Fuerte 42,125 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-07-14T03:37:16.4733333+00:00

A pleasure, have a great day!
FLMParker-2584 0 Reputation points

2026-07-14T04:39:22.65+00:00

I am using MS Office 2021.

I selected the entire excel file including headers.

Under “Home” I clicked on “Sort and Find.”

I vhise Custom Sort

I checked “My List Has Headings.”

I chose column D—category

The spreadsheet was sorted alphabetically by column D—category

I don’t know how then groupings of category types to further sort by Author and then after that, to Title,

if I could do these three levels of sorting, the list would show the order of the books through all these: first categories, then author, then title. With this we could do a full inventory on the entire library. My command would be

sort by category ,

In each category sort alphabetically by Authors last name.

in each of the authors’ list

alphabetize by title of book.

I am not yes seeing how to layer these three sorts.

Are my problems with sorting because of my Microsoft office 2021 software?

what am I not seeing? Thanks for your trouble.
FLMParker-2584 0 Reputation points

2026-07-14T04:57:02.6933333+00:00

What I don’t see is:

To create multiple layers, simply click Add Level to introduce "Then by" rows, selecting your secondary and tertiary columns

my sort box has only Add levels to sort by;

Column

and you can only pick one sort by, the toggle takes you to either one of the four headings

Category, Author, Title, or acq. no.

those are my four headers.
Jeronimo Fuerte 42,125 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-07-14T19:40:36.89+00:00

It seems that you're not adding additional sort levels. As shown in the picture below, after selecting your entire dataset and opening Custom Sort, Excel creates the first sort level by default.

To sort by multiple columns, click Add Level. Each time you do, a new Then by row will appear. In that new row, select the Author column and choose the sort order (typically A to Z). Then click Add Level again to create a third row, select the Title column, and choose A to Z as well.

Your final sort should look similar to this:

Sort by: Category → A to Z

Then by: Author → A to Z

Then by: Title → A to Z

Once you click OK, Excel will first group the books by Category, then alphabetize the Authors within each category, and finally alphabetize the Titles for each author. This feature is fully supported in Office 2021.
FLMParker-2584 0 Reputation points

2026-07-15T21:24:26.2866667+00:00

I appreciate you willing to take time to sort this thing out. The window you have shown me is beautiful and would solve my problem, but my screen looks like this. I don't see a way to add other levels. My Office program is Office, Home, & Student 2021.

I hope there is a way for me to get the window you showed me.
FLMParker-2584 0 Reputation points

2026-07-15T21:36:29.95+00:00

Oh Wow, you did it. Thank you! If you can help an amateur like me you can help anyone.
Jeronimo Fuerte 42,125 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-07-15T21:39:07.76+00:00

A pleasure, have a great day!

Answer 1

FLMParker-2584 0

I appreciate you willing to take time to sort this thing out. The window you have shown me is beautiful and would solve my problem, but my screen looks like this. Screenshot 2026-07-15 at 5.10.05 PM I don't see a way to add other levels. My Office program is Office, Home, & Student 2021.I hope there is a way for me to get the window you showed me.

Jeronimo Fuerte 42,125 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-07-15T21:28:47.4133333+00:00

You marked the issue as a Windows issue, but this is actually related to macOS. The process is similar, with a small difference in the interface.

For macOS users, the “+” and “–” buttons are used to add or remove items. To add additional sort levels, you need to use the “+” button to add the extra sorting criteria.