How to Use SORT in Google Sheets: Comprehensive Guide

SORT returns a sorted copy of a range, ordered by one or more columns, without touching the original data. Because it is a formula, the sorted view updates by itself when the source changes, unlike the menu's Data > Sort range, which rearranges the cells in place once.

Syntax

=SORT(range, sort_column, is_ascending, [sort_column2, is_ascending2, ...])

range: The data to sort.
sort_column: The column to sort by, given as a number within the range (1 is the first column of range), or as a separate range of the same height.
is_ascending: TRUE for A to Z / smallest first, FALSE for Z to A / largest first. This argument is required.
Further pairs of sort_column / is_ascending add tie-breaker columns.

Basic examples

With names in A2:A100:

=SORT(A2:A100, 1, TRUE)

Sorts the list alphabetically.

With a table in A2:C100 (Name, Department, Salary):

=SORT(A2:C100, 3, FALSE)

Sorts the whole table by salary, highest first. Every row stays intact: names and departments move with their salaries.

Sorting by several columns

Add more pairs for tie-breakers. Sort by department A to Z, then by salary highest first within each department:

=SORT(A2:C100, 2, TRUE, 3, FALSE)

Sorting by a column outside the range

sort_column can be a separate range of the same height as range. That lets you sort one column by another without returning the sorting column:

=SORT(A2:A100, B2:B100, FALSE)

This returns the names from column A, ordered by the values in column B.

Sorting by a calculated value

You can sort by an expression too, which means no helper column is needed. For example, sorting by the length of each name:

=SORT(A2:A100, ARRAYFORMULA(LEN(A2:A100)), TRUE)

Or sorting by the last word in a full name:

=SORT(A2:A100, ARRAYFORMULA(REGEXEXTRACT(A2:A100, "\S+$")), TRUE)

Combining SORT with other functions

SORT is most useful as one step in a chain:

Filter, then sort: =SORT(FILTER(A2:C100, B2:B100 = "Sales"), 3, FALSE)
Unique values, sorted: =SORT(UNIQUE(A2:A100))
Top 5 values: =ARRAY_CONSTRAIN(SORT(A2:C100, 3, FALSE), 5, 3). ARRAY_CONSTRAIN limits the output to 5 rows and 3 columns. SORTN does the same in one step.
Sort several ranges together: =SORT({A2:C50; E2:G50}, 1, TRUE) stacks two tables, then sorts the result.

How SORT handles different data

Numbers sort numerically, so 2 comes before 10.
Text sorts alphabetically and is not case-sensitive.
Mixed data in a column sorts numbers first, then text, then booleans, with blanks last. If numbers are stored as text, they sort as text ("10" before "2"). Convert them with VALUE first.
Dates sort chronologically when they are real dates, not text that looks like a date.

Common errors

#VALUE! ... "Sort column ... exceeds the range". sort_column is larger than the number of columns in range. In SORT(A2:C100, 4, TRUE) there is no fourth column.
#VALUE! with a separate sort range. The sort range does not have the same number of rows as range.
#REF!: Array result was not expanded. Something is blocking the cells the result needs. Clear the area below and to the right.
Headers sorted into the data. Leave the header row out of range (start at row 2) and put the headers above the formula separately.

SORT vs. SORTN vs. the sort menu

Use SORT when you want a live, formula-driven sorted copy. Use SORTN when you only want the top N rows. Use Data > Sort range when you want to physically reorder the cells and do not need the data to stay linked.

Frequently asked questions

Does SORT change the original data? No. It only creates a sorted copy.

Can I sort descending without typing FALSE? The third argument is required, so you must give TRUE or FALSE. Numbers also work: 0 is FALSE and any other number is TRUE.

Is there a way to sort a row horizontally? Yes. Wrap it in TRANSPOSE: =TRANSPOSE(SORT(TRANSPOSE(A1:H1))).

Related Functions

SORTN: Returns the first N rows of a sorted range.
FILTER: Returns the rows that meet a condition.
UNIQUE: Returns the distinct rows of a range.
QUERY: Filter, sort and aggregate in a single formula with order by.
ARRAYFORMULA: Applies a formula to a whole range.

SORT