Hey there, my besties!
Today, I’m going to share with you a powerful and flexible tool in Google Sheets called Query. With this versatile feature, you can use data commands to manipulate your data in Google Sheets. Query replaces many other functions and has the ability to replicate most of the features of pivot tables.
But how do you use “Order By” in Google Sheets Query? Let’s dive into some practical examples.
Understanding Google Sheets Query
Before we get into the examples, it’s important to understand how a Google Sheets Query works.
A Google Sheets Query requires three arguments:
- The range of data you want to analyze.
- The query you want to execute, enclosed in quotation marks.
- An optional number indicating the number of header rows in your data.
Using “Order By” in Google Sheets Query
But before we begin, we need a dataset to work with in our Google Sheets Query formula.
Step 1: Sorting the Data
First, decide how you want to sort the data in the selected range. Essentially, we’re creating a formula that mimics the filtering function.
Step 2: Starting the Query Formula
To start the query formula, select an empty cell where you want to enter the formula. In this example, let’s use cell E2. Then, input an equal sign followed by “QUERY” and an opening parenthesis. You’ll see a blue question mark next to it. Click on the question mark to see the required arguments for this function.
Step 3: Inserting Arguments
Next, insert our arguments. We select A3:C12 as the data range, which is our first argument. Then, we input “select A, B order by B asc, A desc”, 1, which are our second and third arguments. Remember to close all the formulas with a closing parenthesis to indicate that the formula is now complete.
Step 4: Viewing the Sorted Data
Once you press Enter, the rows will be sorted by age in ascending order. The result will look something like this.
Step 5: Sorting by Different Criteria
You can also sort the data by points in descending order. The result will look like this.
Note: The data returned by the Query function won’t be formatted. You can modify the data according to your preferences.
Summary
And there you have it! It’s as simple as that. Feel free to copy the example spreadsheet below to see how it works. The key is to enjoy the process.
Crawlan.com is your go-to resource for all things related to Google Sheets. Visit our website for more tutorials and tips.
In this tutorial, we’ve learned how to use “Order By” with Google Sheets Query. Want more? Check out all our Google Sheets tutorials.
Now go forth and organize your data like a pro!
