Custom lists help you enter and sort data

Standard Excel

In Excel you can easily create a list of months by typing in the first month and then dragging the cell down (or to the right) using the small square (handle) in the bottom right of the cell. This also works for abbreviated month names (first three letters off the name) as well as days of the week. This is possible because Excel has suitable lists available for such purposes. You can also sort data using columns containing days or months.

Customised Excel

Wouldn't it be great if you could do the same with a customised list of e.g., brands, regions or priorities (high, medium, and low) in use in your company?

Well, you can!

Set-up

First type in your customised list in Excel, then go to File, Options, Advanced, General section, Edit Custom Lists…

You can then import your custom list. Alternatively, you can type in your list directly in the “List entries” field.

Use

Back in Excel you can type in one item in your custom list and then drag the handle to complete the list.

You can also sort using your custom list.

1. Select the column in your data containing the items in your custom list.

2. Next, click on the main sort icon

3. Under “Order” choose “Custom list…”
Finally select the relevant list and click ok.

Your data is now sorted according to your custom list.

Fantastic!