In Excel: select one cell in the table, choose Data ▸ Sort, tick My data has headers, pick the column and order, and expand the selection so whole rows move together.
On this page7
Click inside the table or select the full range.
Open Data ▸ Sort and confirm the header setting.
Choose the sort column, sort on Values and pick the order.
Add levels for secondary sorting and verify the full range moved together.
What this does
Sorting reorders rows by one or more columns. The key safety rule is that whole records must move together; sorting a single column by itself can detach names, dates and amounts from one another. Dates sort correctly only when Excel recognizes them as real dates, not text. Most people learn this as a sequence of clicks and forget it by next week; learning it as a pattern instead is what lets you apply it to the next, slightly different version of the problem without starting from scratch. That is the difference this page is trying to make. Treat “sort dates by month in excel” as a small repeatable workflow rather than a one-off click you hope to remember next time. Use a small test block before the live file, so any surprise in the affected cells shows up while it is still harmless. When this is a ribbon command, the selection matters more than the button: confirm the range, apply the command, then spot-check the output before saving. That turns a data step that keeps your analysis trustworthy into a method you can reuse, explain, and defend when the workbook leaves your screen.
A worked example
A table has Customer, Date and Amount. Click inside it, choose Data ▸ Sort, tick My data has headers, sort by Date from Oldest to Newest, then add a level for Amount largest to smallest. Each row stays intact while the table order changes. Sorting is simple but high-risk: done correctly it reveals order and priority; done on the wrong range it corrupts the dataset. If this is something you do often, add the command to the Quick Access Toolbar (right-click it on the ribbon and choose Add to Quick Access Toolbar) or learn its shortcut, so next time it is one click instead of a hunt through the menus.
In Google Sheets
This is a command rather than a formula, so there is no syntax to carry over. Google Sheets arranges its commands in menus across the top instead of a ribbon, names some of them differently and does not have every Excel command — look for the equivalent in the Sheets menus or its help before assuming the steps match. The aim was to get you unstuck fast and leave you a little more capable than a copy-paste would. The answer is at the top and the detail above shows why it holds — so the next time a colleague asks, you can answer without reaching for search. Treat “sort dates by month in excel” as a routine rather than a one-off. Once you know which setting or command controls it, the same few steps handle every workbook where it comes up in Excel, and you can explain them to a colleague in a sentence.
Common mistakes
- Sorting only one column and corrupting row relationships.
- Sorting dates stored as text, which can order alphabetically instead of chronologically.
- Leaving blank rows that split the detected table range.
- Forgetting to include hidden rows if they should be sorted too.
Frequently asked questions
How do I sort by date?
Make sure the values are real dates, then Data ▸ Sort by that date column.
How do I sort columns left to right?
Use Sort Options and choose Sort left to right.
Why did my rows get mixed up?
Only one column was sorted. Undo and sort the whole table range.