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In this article
SORTBY sorts one range by the values in another — even by a column you do not display.
Syntax
=SORTBY(array, by_array1, [sort_order1], ...)| Argument | What it means |
|---|---|
by_array1 |
The values to sort by (same height). |
sort_order1 |
1 ascending, −1 descending. |
Examples
Example 1
=SORTBY(A2:A50, E2:E50, -1)Names ordered by sales, highest first.
Example 2
=SORTBY(A2:C50, B2:B50, 1, C2:C50, -1)By region, then by amount.
SORTBY in practice
Where you will use it
- Sort names by sales
- Random order: SORTBY(list,RANDARRAY(n))
- Multi-level sorts
Worked example
| Order | Formula | Result |
|---|---|---|
| -1 | =TEXTJOIN(", ",,SORTBY({"Patel";"Shah";"Rao"},{12000;8000;22000},A2)) | Rao, Patel, Shah |
| 1 | =TEXTJOIN(", ",,SORTBY({"Patel";"Shah";"Rao"},{12000;8000;22000},A3)) | Shah, Patel, Rao |
| -1 | =TEXTJOIN(", ",,SORTBY({"Patel";"Shah";"Rao"},{12000;8000;22000},A4)) | Rao, Patel, Shah |
Results calculated in Excel.
Mistakes people make
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Arrays of different sizes | #VALUE! |
| Ties | Add a second sort key |
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📎 Practice files for this article
- 📗Practice workbook: Dynamic arrays18 tasks on realistic sales data — type your formula, the Check column turns green when it is right. Answers sheet included.⬇ XLSX · 35 KB
Free to use for learning. Files with macros (.bas) are plain text — import them with Alt+F11 → File → Import File, and always test on a copy.
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