Interactive Tutorial
How to Sort Data in Ms Access
Arrange and organize records alphabetically or numerically in Access tables
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Access can sort records alphabetically, numerically, or chronologically, in ascending or descending order.
Sort Records
- Open the table you want to sort and click anywhere in the column (field) you want to use to sort by.
- Click either the Ascending or Descending button.
The table is sorted. See the table below for examples of the different sort types.
You can also sort records by right-clicking in the field you want to sort by and selecting a sort option.
If you frequently sort a table the same way, you should consider creating and using a query that automatically sorts the table data for you. A query that sorts a table alphabetically by name would be a good example of such a query.
| Sort Examples | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ascending | A, B, C | 1, 2, 3 | 01/01/2020, 01/15/2020, 02/01/2020 |
| Descending | C, B, A | 3, 2, 1 | 02/01/2020, 01/15/2020, 01/01/2020 |
Remove a Sort
- Click the Remove Sort button.
All sorts are removed and the data is displayed in its original order.