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When it comes to Excel, here’s a good rule of thumb: If you start to do something manually, it probably means there is an easier way to do it. Whether you are trying to remove duplicates, do simple calculations, or sort your data, you can almost always find a workaround that’ll help you get it done with just a click (or two) of a button. 

But if you’re not a power user, it’s easy to overlook these shortcuts. And before you know it, something as simple as organizing a list of names in alphabetical order can suck up a ton of your time. 

Luckily, there is a workaround for that. In fact, there are a few different ways to use Excel’s sorting feature that you may not know about. Let’s check them out below …

How to Sort in Excel: 5 Useful Options

1) Sorting from A to Z

Let’s start out with the basics. Sometimes you may have a list of data that has no organization whatsoever. Maybe you exported a list of your marketing contacts or blog posts. Whatever the case may be, you might want to start by alphabetizing the list. 

To do this on a Mac:

1. Click on the data in the column you want to sort.
2. Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar and look for the “Sort” option on the left.
3. If the “A” is on top of the “Z,” you can just click on that button once. If the “Z” is on top of the “A,” click on the button twice. Note: When the “A” is on top of the “Z,” that means your list will be sorted in alphabetical order. However, when the “Z” is on top of the “A,” that means your list will be sorted in reverse alphabetical order.

To do this on a PC:

1. Click on the data in the column you want to sort.
2. Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar. You will see Sort options in the middle.
3. Click on the icon above the word “Sort.” A pop-up will appear: If you have headers, make sure “My list has headers” is checked. If it is, click “Cancel.”
4. Click on the button that has the “A” on top and the “Z” on the bottom with an arrow pointing down. That will sort your list alphabetically from “A” to “Z.” If you want to sort your list in reverse alphabetical order, click on the button that has the “Z” on top and the “A” on the bottom.

2) Sorting Multiple Columns

Sometimes you don’t just want to sort one column, but you want to sort two. Let’s say you want to organize all of your blog posts that you have in a list by the month they were published. First, you’d want to organize them by date, and then by the blog post title or URL.

In this example, I want to sort my list first by house, and then by last name. This would give me a list organized by each house, but also alphabetized within each house.  

To do this on a Mac:

1. Click on the data in the column you want to sort.
2. Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar and look for the “Sort” option on the left.
3. Click on the small arrow to the left of the “A to Z” Sort icon. Then, select “Custom Sort” from the menu. 
4. A pop-up will appear: If you have headers, make sure “My list has headers” is checked.
5. You will see five columns. Under “Column” select the first column you want to sort from the dropdown menu. (In this case, it is “House.”)
6. Then, click on the “+” sign at the bottom left of the pop-up. Under where it says “Column,” select “Last Name” from the dropdown.
7. Check the “Order” column to make sure it says A to Z. Then click “OK.”
8. Marvel at your beautiful organized list.

To do this on a PC:

1. Click on the data in the column you want to sort.
2. Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar. You will see “Sort” options in the middle.
3. Click on the icon above the word “Sort.” You will see a pop-up appear. Make sure “My data has headers” is checked if you have column headers. 
4. You will see three columns. Under “Column” select the first column you want to sort from the dropdown menu. (In this case, it is “House.”)
5. Then click on “Add Level” at the top left of the pop-up. Under where it says “Column” select “Last Name” from the dropdown.
6. Check the “Order” column to make sure it says A to Z. Then click “OK.”
7. Marvel at your beautiful organized list.

3) Sorting in Custom Order

Sometimes you don’t want to sort by A to Z or Z to A. Sometimes you want to sort by something else such as months, days of the week, or some other organizational system.

In situations like this you can create your own custom order to specify exactly the order you want the sort. (It follows a similar path to multiple columns but is slightly different.)

Let’s say we have everyone’s birthday month at Hogwarts, and we want everyone to be sorted first by Birthday Month, then by House, and then by Last Name.

To do this on a Mac:

1. Click on the data in the column you want to sort.
2. Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar. You will see “Sort” all the way to the left.
3. Click on the small arrow to the left of the “A to Z” Sort icon. Then, select “Custom Sort” from the menu.
4. A pop-up will appear: If you have headers, make sure “My list has headers” is checked.
5. You will see five columns. Under “Column,” select the first column in your spreadsheet you want to sort from the dropdown menu. In this case, it is “Birthday Month.”
6. Under the “Order” column, click on the dropdown next to “A to Z.” Select the option for “Custom List.”
7. You will see a couple of options (month and day). Select the month list where the months are spelled out, as that matches the data. Click “OK.”
8. Then click on the “+” sign at the bottom left of the pop-up. Under “Column,” select “House” from the dropdown.
9. Click on the “+” sign at the bottom left again. Under “Column,” select “Last Name” from the dropdown.
10. Check the “Order” column to make sure “House” and “Last Name” say A to Z. Then click “OK.”
11. Marvel at your beautiful organized list.

To do this on a PC:

1. Click on the data in the column you want to sort.
2. Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar. You will see “Sort” options in the middle.
3. Click on the icon above the word “Sort.” You will see a pop-up appear: If you have headers, make sure “My list has headers” is checked.
4. You will see three columns. Under “Column,” select the first column you want to sort from the dropdown. In this case, it is “Birthday Month.”
5. Under the “Order” column, click on the dropdown next to “A to Z.” Select the option for “Custom List.”
6. You will see a couple of options (month and day), as well as the option to create your own custom order. Select the month list where the months are spelled out, as that matches the data. Click “OK.”
7. Then, click on “Add Level” at the top left of the pop-up. Under “Column,” select “House” from the dropdown.
8. Click on the “Add Level” button at the top left of the pop-up again. Under “Column,” select “Last Name” from the dropdown.
9. Check the “Order” column to make sure “House” and “Last Name” say A to Z. Then click “OK.”
10. Marvel at your beautiful organized list.

4) Sorting a Row

Sometimes your data may appear in rows instead of columns. When that happens you are still able to sort your data with a slightly different step.

To do this on a Mac:

1. Click on the data in the row you want to sort.
2. Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar. You will see “Sort” all the way to the left.
3. Click on the small arrow to the left of the “A to Z” Sort icon. Then, select “Custom Sort” from the menu.
4. A pop-up will appear: Click on “Options” at the bottom.
5. Under “Orientation” select “Sort left to right.” Then, click “OK.”
6. You will see five columns. Under “Row,” select the row number that you want to sort from the dropdown. (In this case, it is Row 1.) When you are done, click “OK.”

To do this on a PC:

1. Click on the data in the row you want to sort.
2. Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar. You will see “Sort” options in the middle.
3. Click on the icon above the word “Sort.” You will see a pop-up appear.
4. Click on “Options” at the bottom.
5. Under “Orientation” select “Sort left to right.” Then, click “OK.”
6. You will see three columns. Under “Row,” select the row number that you want to sort from the dropdown. (In this case, it is Row 1.) When you are done, click “OK.”

5) Sort Your Conditional Formatting

If you use conditional formatting to change the color of a cell, add an icon, or change the color of a font, you can actually sort by that, too.

In the example below, I’ve used colors to signify different grade ranges: If they have a 90 or above, the cell appears green. Between 80-90 is yellow. Below 80 is red. Here’s how you’d sort that information to put the top performers at the top of the list. I want to sort this information so that the top performers are at the top of the list.

To do this on a Mac:

1. Click on the data in the row you want to sort.
2. Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar. You will see “Sort” all the way to the left.
3. Click on the small arrow to the left of the “A to Z” Sort icon. Then, select “Custom Sort” from the menu.
4. A pop-up will appear: If you have headers, make sure “My list has headers” is checked.
5. You will see five columns. Under “Column,” select the first column you want to sort from the dropdown. In this case, it is “Grades.”
6. Under the column that says “Sort On,” select “Cell Color”.
7. In the last column that says “Color/Icon,” select the green bar.
8. Then click on the “+” sign at the bottom left of the pop-up. Repeat steps 5-6. Instead of selecting green under “Color/Icon,” select the yellow bar.
9. Then click on the “+” sign at the bottom left of the pop-up. Repeat steps 5-6. Instead of selecting green under “Color/Icon,” select the red bar.
10. Click “OK.”

To do this on a PC:

1. Click on the data in the row you want to sort.
2. Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar. You will see “Sort” options in the middle.
3. Click on the icon above the word “Sort.” A pop-up will appear: If you have headers, make sure “My list has headers” is checked.
4. You will see three columns. Under “Column” select the first column you want to sort from the dropdown. In this case, it is “Grades.”
5. Under the column that says “Sort On,” select “Cell Color”.
6. In the last column that says “Order,” select the green bar.
7. Click on “Add Level.” Repeat steps 4-5. Instead of selecting green under “Order,” select the yellow bar.
8. Click on “Add Level” again. Repeat steps 4-5. Instead of selecting yellow under “Order,” select the red bar.
9. Click “OK.”

What other Excel tips and tricks do you want to learn more about? Share your ideas below. 

There’s no denying that Adobe Photoshop is a powerful photo editing tool, with loads of built-in features and effects. In fact, if you’re a marketer with little (or zero) photography or graphic design experience, Photoshop can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming.

Oppositely, however, if you’ve spent years learning the ins and outs of Photoshop, you might now be arriving at a point where you feel like you’ve exhausted all of Photoshop’s built-in benefits.

Regardless of your experience level, there are free Photoshop filters and plugins that can help. As a beginner, these free add-ons can help simplify complex editing processes. As an expert, they can help expand your available Photoshop tool set even further, and help lead you in new artistic directions.

9 Free Photoshop Filters and Plugins

Free Filters

Note: The filters below are technically Photoshop “actions” (.ATN files). An action is a pre-recorded series of steps that allows you to apply effects — in this case, filters — automatically.

1) Dramatic Sepia (via Efeito Photoshop)

Sure, you can easily create that classic, reddish-brown sepia effect in Photoshop manually by selecting Image > Adjustments > Photo Filters, and then choosing “Sepia” from the dropdown menu. But if you’re looking for a sepia filter that’s a bit more — well, dramatic — the free Dramatic Sepia action from Efeito Photoshop is a popular option.

Image Credit: Romenigps

2) Old Photo (via DeviantArt)

If sepia is a bit too much for your taste, but you’re still trying to create a nostalgic, old-timey feel, the Old Photo action has got you covered. The action will adjust the color and contrast of your image, transporting it back in time (visually-speaking).

Image Credit: sakiryildirim

3) Dream Blur (via DeviantArt)

As its name suggests, the Dream Blur action adds a filter to your image that creates a subtle, dream-like atmosphere. Specifically, the action produces a dark, blurry vignette at the edges of your image while also upping the saturation levels.

Image Credit: JoshJanusch

4) Vintage (via DeviantArt)

Unlike the Old Photo action from earlier on this list, the Vintage action does more than just visually transport your image back in time — it also adds a distinctive neon effect (perfect for giving your next project a groovy feel).

Image Credit: beckasweird

5) Lithprint (via DeviantArt)

The Lithprint action imitates the vintage look produced by the black-and-white lith printing process. But compared to the other vintage filters on this list, Lithprint is much more drastic. In addition to adjusting contrast, highlights, and shadows in your image, it adds a gritty texture.

Image Credit: rawimage

Free Plugins

6) virtualPhotographer

If you’re struggling to produce particular effects in Photoshop (e.g., black and white, high contrast, polarization, etc.), virtualPhotographer by OptikVerve Labs could be the plugin you’ve been looking for. VirtualPhotographer’s primary claim to fame? It allows you to add complicated effects to images with a single click.

Image Credit: optikVerve Labs 

7) ON1 Effects

Like the virtualPhotographer plugin, ON1 Effects is a free Photoshop plugin that makes it easier for you to add complex effects to your images. What sets ON1 Effects apart is that it boasts a library of filters — including vignette, adjustable contrast, and HDR look — that you can stack on top of each other, allowing you to easily build layers of different effects.

Image Credit: ON1

8) Flaticon

Wish you could sort through thousands of free icons and add them to your projects without having to leave the comfort of Photoshop? Then Flaticon by Freepik is definitely worth a look. The free plugin’s icons are available in .SVG, .PSD, and .PNG formats.

Image Credit: Flaticon

9) Tych Panel

The free Tych Panel plugin makes it easy for you to create double panel (diptych), triple panel (triptych), and quadruple+ panel (ntych) projects in Photoshop. Just select the number of rows and panels you want, as well as the alignment style, and Tych Panel will format everything for you automatically.

Image Credit: Lumens

Know of any other great free Photoshop filters and plugins? Share them in the comments section below.

We’re willing to assume that customer growth is important to your business, but creating an effortless customer experience that inspires retention is kind of complicated. 

Most companies spend the majority of their money trying to bring in new customers, but did you know that increasing customer retention rates by 5% can help you increase profits by anywhere between 25% to 95%? It sounds like customer retention is worth putting some time and effort behind, huh?

Retaining customers all comes down to the experience you’re providing for them. And you’ll want to provide them with an experience that — from start to finish — requires the least amount of effort from them. Even if your product or service is the best in its class, you need to make sure your customer is satisfied enough with their experience to continue choosing you over your competitors. 

How can you implement an effortless experience to keep your customers loyal? Check out this free guide — How to Keep Your Customers Coming Back — created in partnership with Zendesk. In this ebook, you’ll learn:

• What makes customers become loyal and how to achieve loyalty for your brand
• How to provide an effortless experience for your customers across all channels
• How to build trust with your customers and give them reason to stick with you
• How to provide exceptional customer service and use feedback for improvement
• How to reduce the need for context-switching along a customer’s journey to support
• How to solve for your customer’s problems before they even happen

Ready to get started? Click here to download the free guide today.