1 - Introduction ~5 mins
Welcome
A tidy spreadsheet is only useful if you can rearrange it without wrecking the numbers. Today you will select ranges properly, sort by one column and by two, copy values on purpose, and restore original order with an ID column. Those moves are how you answer real project questions such as “which items cost most?” or “show me Dairy first”.
What you will be able to do by the end
- Pick out a whole block of data and sort it by one column, or by two columns at once
- Copy the numbers on their own when that is what you want, and know when copying a live formula would break things
- Put the rows back in the order you started with, using an ID column
Warm-up
Think about a list you keep for your own enterprise work — stock, hours, costs or contacts. If someone sorted only the Name column and left the other columns where they were, what would go wrong?
2 - Key Concepts ~5 mins
Three ideas keep your project data honest when you rearrange it. You will use ID columns yourself in the guided steps. You will also see your teacher move a row and delete a row safely on the big screen, so you know what those look like before you ever need them.
| Concept | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Range selection — selecting every cell that belongs together before you sort, copy, or delete | Sorting one column alone shuffles labels away from their numbers and ruins the sheet | Selecting A1:G7 on a Centra stocktake so Item, Cost, and Qty stay on the same row |
| Multi-column sort — sorting by a primary column, then a secondary column inside tied groups (single-column sort is the same tool with one level) | Groups related rows first, then orders inside each group so you can answer a real project question | Sort stock by Category, then by Cost (€) so Drinks appear together with cheapest first |
| Paste values — pasting the calculated numbers only, not the live formula underneath | Wrong paste type freezes numbers you still need live, or copies formulas that break when source rows move | Paste values of a Total column into a summary area so the summary does not depend on the source rows |
Worked example snapshot
You will practise on a small enterprise stock sheet (six rows) already set up for you. Columns: ID, Item, Category, Cost (€), Qty, Supplier, Total (€). Total already uses a formula. You will sort by Category, then by Cost, copy totals as values, then restore original order using the ID column.
3 - Step-by-step Task ~20 mins
Open the stock practice starter (headings, six rows, and Total formulas already filled). Practise select, sort (one column and two), copy values, and restore original order with the ID column. Work with a partner on the paste-values check if your teacher pairs you.
Practice only: {{code:sm3_sort_practice}} is rehearsal. Your Key Assignment evidence is {{code:sm3_from_template_v3}} in the next activity.
4 - Common Issues ~4 mins
Common Issues
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| After sorting, names no longer match the costs on the same row | You sorted one column only. Press {{kbd:Ctrl+Z}} ({{kbd:Cmd+Z}} on Mac) once or twice if you just did it, then select the full block (every column of data plus the header row) and sort again from {{menu:Data -> Sort}} (Excel for the web) or {{menu:Data -> Sort range -> Advanced range sorting options}} (Sheets). A broken sort is normal the first time — recover and continue. |
| I cannot get back to the original row order | Add an ID column (1, 2, 3…) before you experiment, then sort by ID ascending to restore. If you already sorted without an ID, use Undo immediately or reopen the last good cloud version. |
| Paste put formulas into my summary and now I see #REF! after a delete | Use Paste values / Values only for summary numbers. Click a pasted cell: the formula bar should show a number, not =. #REF! means a formula still pointed at cells you removed — fix the formula range or restore the deleted cells from version history. |
| Sort treats my header row as data (Category appears in the middle of the list) | Turn on the header-row option in the sort dialog, or make sure row 1 really holds headings and the sort range starts at that header row. |
| Moving a row overwrote another stock line | Undo at once. In Sheets, insert a blank row at the destination first, paste into the blank row, then delete the empty leftover. In Excel for the web prefer Insert cut cells on the destination row header. |
Quick match: with a partner, say which safe method you would use for each of these five goals, before you start your own practice.
- Freeze your totals on a summary sheet so they stop changing
- Put the rows back the way they were after a few sort experiments
- Group your stock by category and show the cheapest item first inside each group
- Get rid of a test row you typed in without breaking the Total formulas
- Move one item up to the top of the list without writing over the row that is already there
5 - Independent Practice ~16 mins
Independent Practice
- An ID (or row-number) column is present so original order can be restored
- You sorted the full data block once by a single column and once by two columns, with every related cell still matching its row
- After the experiments, sorting by ID returns the sheet to the earlier order
- The file {{code:sm3_from_template_v3}} is saved inside {{code:09_specialism/sm3}}
- Optional: one totals column pasted as values only (formula bar shows a number, not =)
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