Excel Custom Sort List: Step-by-Step Tutorial Guide

Master Excel Custom Sort List in Minutes

Excel custom sort lists let you organize data in any order you choose, not just alphabetically or numerically. Whether you’re sorting student data by grade level (Freshman → Sophomore → Junior → Senior) or organizing tasks by custom priority levels, this tutorial shows you exactly how to create and use custom sort lists in Excel. You’ll master this powerful feature in just a few minutes and transform how you organize your spreadsheets. This step-by-step guide will walk you through creating your own Excel custom sort list, applying it to your data, and reusing it for future projects. No prior advanced Excel knowledge required!

🚀 What You’ll Learn

How to create custom sort lists in Excel
Sorting data using your custom lists
Reusing custom lists for future sorts
Practical examples and use cases

Excel custom sort list example. Student data spreadsheet before applying sort

Example: Student data that needs to be sorted by class level (Freshman through Senior)

Why Use an Excel Custom Sort List?

Standard sorting methods fall short when your data has a logical order that isn’t alphabetical or numerical. An Excel custom sort list solves this problem perfectly. Common scenarios include:

Academic levels: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior
Priority levels: Critical, High, Medium, Low
Size ordering: Small, Medium, Large, X-Large
Custom workflows: Planning, In Progress, Review, Complete
Days or months: Custom week starts or fiscal calendars

For more advanced data organization techniques, explore our guides on Microsoft’s official sorting documentation.

Creating Your Excel Custom Sort List: Step-by-Step

Select Your Data Range
Click and drag to select all the data you want to sort, including headers. In our example, this is the range A1:E9 containing student information.

💡 Pro Tip

Always include your column headers in the selection. Excel will automatically detect them in the next steps.
Open the Sort Dialog
Navigate to the Data tab on the Excel ribbon, then click the Sort button in the Sort & Filter group.

The Sort button is located in the Data tab’s Sort & Filter group
Access Custom Lists
In the Sort dialog box, find the Order dropdown menu and select Custom List… from the options.

Select “Custom List…” from the Order dropdown
Create Your Custom Sort List
The Custom Lists dialog box will appear. You’ll notice Excel already includes built-in lists for days of the week and months.

In the List entries box, enter your custom values on separate lines:
- Freshman
- Sophomore
- Junior
- Senior
Click the Add button to save your custom sort list, then click OK.

Enter your custom values and click Add to create your list
Verify Your Custom List Appears
Your new custom list should now appear in the Order dropdown box, ready to use for sorting.

Your custom list is now available for sorting
Choose Sort Direction
Click the Order dropdown arrow to choose whether to sort in the order you created (A to Z) or in reverse order (Z to A).

Choose between normal or reverse order for your custom list
Configure and Execute the Sort
Complete these final settings:
- A. Check “My data has headers” since your selection includes column headers
- B. Select the column to sort by (in our example: “Class”)
- C. Choose your custom list from the Order dropdown
- D. Click OK to apply the sort
Configure all sort options before clicking OK

✅ Success!

Your spreadsheet is now sorted according to your Excel custom sort list order. Notice how the data is organized by class level from Freshman to Senior, regardless of alphabetical order.

Spreadsheet sorted using excel custom sort list.

Final result: Data sorted by custom class order (Freshman → Senior)

💡 Time-Saving Tip

Your custom sort list is now saved in Excel! You can reuse it for any future sorting needs without recreating it. It will be available in all your Excel workbooks on this computer.

Custom Sort List Examples and Use Cases

Now that you know how to create an Excel custom sort list, here are some practical applications:

Education: Sort students by grade level or course progression
Project Management: Organize tasks by status (Not Started, In Progress, Review, Complete)
Sales: Sort regions by sales territory importance rather than alphabetically
Clothing/Retail: Arrange sizes in logical order (XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL)
Quality Control: Sort by severity (Critical, Major, Minor, Cosmetic)

Frequently Asked Questions About Excel Custom Sort Lists

Can I create multiple Excel custom sort lists?

Yes! Excel allows you to create and save multiple custom sort lists. Each list remains available for future use across all your workbooks.

Will my custom sort list work on other computers?

Custom lists are saved locally on your computer. If you need to use them on another computer, you’ll need to recreate them or copy your Excel settings.

Can I edit or delete a custom list?

Yes! Return to the Custom Lists dialog box (through the Sort options), select your list, and you can modify the entries or click Delete to remove it entirely.

What’s the maximum number of items in a custom list?

While Excel doesn’t specify an exact limit, custom lists work best with manageable sizes (typically under 100 items). For very large custom orderings, consider other sorting methods.

Can I import a custom list from existing data?

Yes! In the Custom Lists dialog, you can select the “Import” option and choose a range from your worksheet to create a custom list automatically.

Do custom sort lists work with Excel filters?

Yes! Once created, your custom lists can be used with both the Sort feature and AutoFilter. They integrate seamlessly with Excel’s data management tools.

Master Your Excel Custom Sort List Today

Excel custom sort lists are a powerful feature that can save you hours of manual data organization. Whether you’re managing student records, project priorities, or any other data with a logical sequence, custom lists give you complete control over how your information is organized.

Start creating your custom sort lists today and transform the way you work with Excel! Once you master this technique, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.

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