word labels (Word Xp-2002)

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Hello everyone:

Can anyone advise me on how I can sort my labels list. I am organizing a big 20th Anniversary for a corporation, and I have for different lists to work from.

Life would be easy if I could just check by placing every invitee by alphabetically.

thanks dillon

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Are the lists simply one paragraph per name, or is there a more complex structure?

Have you tried simply copying all the names to one document and using Sort… from the Tables menu? (This also works for paragraphs of text that aren’t in tables)

StuartR

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Are the lists simply one paragraph per name, or is there a more complex structure?

Have you tried simply copying all the names to one document and using Sort… from the Tables menu? (This also works for paragraphs of text that aren’t in tables)

StuartR

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Let me assume you have a really long table with two columns. As far as I know, Word can sort the first column, and Word can sort the second column, but Word cannot sort both colums so that you have a totally alphabetical list.

One thing you could do is this: save two new copies of your document. In one copy, move the entire second column to the end of the first column, then sort the one column. This will be your data source. In the other new document, or in a blank document, whichever is easier, set up a merge that puts the sorted data from the data source document into labels with the proper layout. This is a bit of a hassle, but if you need to update and reorganize this list often, it will be easier than working with the two column document all the time.

Of course, there might be a way to do it with macros, too. While I seem to have slept through it in the programming class I dropped in college, one of the most fundamental tasks that programs do is sort a group of data elements. These often work by comparing and switching. In other words, if the name in label 2 comes before the name in label 1, switch them, otherwise move on to the next comparison. While it would be unusual to apply this kind of sort to a Word table, in theory it should work. (Easy for me to say, since I’m not taking it on!)

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Hello Stuart,Jscher2000:

Stuart: the names initally was done in a word format, then I printed the actual document, and started from scratch with a label format, I am using “Avery 08663.” This particular format has two columns.

I pressed select all, and then requested word, to sort alpha, however, nothing happened.

Jscher2000: I will go ahead and try your suggestion. Gentleman, as always you have delivered the goods.

Much appreciated.

dillon

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Hi Dillon:
If you have two columns from two different lists, you can sort each column separately. Select the first column, press Table Sort…/choose Options/& under Sort Options, choose Sort column only. Then you can select the second column & repeat those steps.

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Hi Dillon:
If you have two columns from two different lists, you can sort each column separately. Select the first column, press Table Sort…/choose Options/& under Sort Options, choose Sort column only. Then you can select the second column & repeat those steps.

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Hello Stuart,Jscher2000:

Stuart: the names initally was done in a word format, then I printed the actual document, and started from scratch with a label format, I am using “Avery 08663.” This particular format has two columns.

I pressed select all, and then requested word, to sort alpha, however, nothing happened.

Jscher2000: I will go ahead and try your suggestion. Gentleman, as always you have delivered the goods.

Much appreciated.

dillon

Reply | Quote

Let me assume you have a really long table with two columns. As far as I know, Word can sort the first column, and Word can sort the second column, but Word cannot sort both colums so that you have a totally alphabetical list.

One thing you could do is this: save two new copies of your document. In one copy, move the entire second column to the end of the first column, then sort the one column. This will be your data source. In the other new document, or in a blank document, whichever is easier, set up a merge that puts the sorted data from the data source document into labels with the proper layout. This is a bit of a hassle, but if you need to update and reorganize this list often, it will be easier than working with the two column document all the time.

Of course, there might be a way to do it with macros, too. While I seem to have slept through it in the programming class I dropped in college, one of the most fundamental tasks that programs do is sort a group of data elements. These often work by comparing and switching. In other words, if the name in label 2 comes before the name in label 1, switch them, otherwise move on to the next comparison. While it would be unusual to apply this kind of sort to a Word table, in theory it should work. (Easy for me to say, since I’m not taking it on!)

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