There can be a variety of reasons for the confusion when sorting descending in Excel, which can involve data types, data formats, cell references, and more. Below I will explain in detail some of the common reasons that can lead to the confusion of descending sorting in Excel and provide corresponding solutions.
The data types do not match. In Excel, if you mix different types of data such as numbers, text, and dates, there can be confusion when sorting. For example, when numbers are recognized as text, Excel will not be able to sort them correctly, resulting in confusing results. Solution: Make sure all cells in the data column contain the same type of data. If necessary, you can use the "Text to Column" function in Excel or formulas to convert the data type to ensure that the data type is consistent.
There are blank cells or incorrect data in the column. If there are blank cells in a data column, wrong data, or non-standard data formatting, these factors can cause sorting confusion. Solution: Before sorting, clean the data, remove blank cells or wrong data, and make sure that all the data is in the expected format and specification.
The entire column is not selected correctly for sorting. Sometimes, when sorting, only a portion of the data may be selected, rather than the entire column, resulting in confusing sorting results. Solution: Make sure that you select the entire column of data and not parts of it when sorting. You can quickly select an entire column of data by clicking on the header to avoid this problem.
Columns that contain merged cells or formulas. If the data column contains merged cells or cells with complex formulas, this may affect the sorting results. Unexpected situations can arise when Excel is dealing with merging cells or complex formulas. Solution: Before sorting, check and clear the merged cells that may be present in the columns, making sure that each data point is in a separate cell. In addition, if necessary, the formula results can be copied as numeric values to ensure the accuracy of sorting.
The sort range contains either a header row or a summary row. If you select a range that includes header rows or summary rows, the sorting results may be confusing because the data in the header or summary rows does not need to be sorted. Solution: Make sure that when sorting, select only the data ranges that actually need to be sorted, and avoid including header or summary rows that don't need to be sorted.
In summary, common causes of messy sorting issues in Excel include mismatched data types, blank cells or incorrect data, incorrectly selected entire columns for sorting, columns containing merged cells or formulas, sorting range issues, and software version or setting issues.