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How to Sort by a Custom List in Excel

Tap through each step to sort data in your own order instead of alphabetical.

  1. Select the data range to sort

    Select the range you want sorted by a non-alphabetical order, such as weekdays or job titles.

  2. Open the Data tab and click Sort

    Click "Sort" in the Sort & Filter group on the Data tab to open the sort dialog.

  3. Choose "Custom List" from the order dropdown

    Set "Sort by" to the column you want, then choose "Custom List" from the Order dropdown.

  4. Build a new list in the order you want

    Select "NEW LIST," type in your own order β€” such as "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday..." β€” and click Add.

  5. Click OK and check the result

    Click OK, and your data sorts in exactly the order you defined, rather than alphabetically or numerically.

When weekdays or job titles keep sorting alphabetically

Data with a natural order β€” weekdays, job titles, sizes β€” gets scrambled by a plain alphabetical or numeric sort. Building a custom list once lets Excel sort that data in the order that actually makes sense.

Worth knowing alongside this: basic ascending/descending sorts

On top of custom lists, getting comfortable with standard ascending and descending sorting makes everyday data cleanup noticeably faster.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reuse a custom list I built in a different file?

Yes. Custom lists are saved to the Excel application itself, so any file you open on the same computer can use the same lists.

Can I import an existing range of cells as a list instead of typing it?

Yes. In the Custom Lists dialog, click "Import" and select a range of cells, and that order gets registered as a new list automatically.