Sort PlanMaker Records by Multiple Keys

Sort a complete record range when the source itself must be reorganized. The worksheet Sort command is different from producing a separate formula result. An explicit sequence column makes the operation reversible even after the file has been closed.

Enter a complete record fixture

Enter this block in A1:F7. Amounts and sequence numbers are numeric; no rows are hidden and no filter is active in this new practice workbook.

Sequence	Order	Region	Product	Amount	Status
1	1001	East	Cable	120	Open
2	1002	West	Adapter	85	Closed
3	1003	East	Stand	160	Open
4	1004	North	Cable	95	Open
5	1005	West	Hub	140	Closed
6	1006	North	Adapter	70	Open

Save orders-before-sort.pmdx, then save a working copy as orders-sorted.pmdx. The six amounts total 670. Record identity includes all six fields, not merely the order number.

Sort region ascending, amount descending

1. Select A1:F7, including every field and the heading row. Do not select only Region or Amount.
2. Choose Data → Filter → Sort. The manual also places these commands under Home → Contents → Sort and filter.
3. Choose Sort row by row, since each record occupies one row. Enable First row contains headings.
4. For criterion 1, choose column C (Region), with Ascending order. For criterion 2, choose column E (Amount), with Descending order. Do not substitute two separate quick sorts for this combined specification.
5. Confirm. Verify headings still occupy row 1.

The expected Order sequence in B2:B7 is 1003, 1001, 1004, 1006, 1005, 1002. Regions run East, East, North, North, West, West. Within each pair, amounts decrease: 160 then 120; 95 then 70; 140 then 85. Order 1003 must still say Stand, 160, Open and Sequence 3. The total remains 670.

A quick Ascending command on a multicolumn selection sorts by that selection’s leftmost column. Here that would be Sequence, so use the dialog to select Region explicitly.

Change a key and grow the range

Find Order 1001 by its identifier, not its original row position. Change its Amount from 120 to 180. Sorting is an operation, not a live view: run the same two-key sort again. Expected order becomes 1001, 1003, 1004, 1006, 1005, 1002, and the total becomes 730.

Append row 8 as 7 | 1007 | East | Dock | 160 | Open. Select A1:F8 and rerun the sort. Add criterion 3, Order (column B), Ascending, to specify what happens when amounts tie. Expected order is 1001, 1003, 1007, 1004, 1006, 1005, 1002; total 890. Sequence values remain 1, 3, 7, 4, 6, 5, 2 in that displayed order. This third key avoids relying on an undocumented tie-stability assumption.

Advanced: hidden records and formatting

Before sorting an existing report, inspect whether rows are hidden. The dialog’s Include hidden cells option controls their inclusion; hidden cells normally do not participate. For a whole-dataset sort, make all records visible first, verify the complete range, and explicitly inspect that option. Do not assume hiding a filter’s controls has restored its records. This exercise starts on a clean, fully visible range to avoid that ambiguity.

Sort including borders/shading decides whether these formats move with the cells or stay at their original positions. Choose intentionally: a colored record flag belongs with the record, while a fixed page-layout band may not. Color sorting is separately available, but this numeric exercise uses values only.

Save and reopen the intended final result

Keep the seven-row advanced result with Order 1001 at 180 and Order 1007 at 160. Save orders-sorted.pmdx, close and reopen it. Recheck the order 1001, 1003, 1007, 1004, 1006, 1005, 1002, the 890 total and Order 1007’s Dock/160/Open fields. This catches a partial-column sort that might otherwise look plausible.

Optional reset on a separate copy

Only after verifying that final file, use File → Save as to create orders-reset-practice.pmdx. In this separate copy, sort the full range by Sequence ascending, with headings excluded, to restore entry order. Do not edit Sequence itself. Restore Order 1001 to 120 if you also want its original value; the seven-row total then becomes 830, not the final file’s 890. To recover the original six-row fixture exactly, open the preserved orders-before-sort.pmdx instead. Do not overwrite orders-sorted.pmdx or depend on Undo after reopening.

Troubleshooting

• Heading moves: restore the saved copy and enable First row contains headings.
• Region is right but amounts are not: inspect criterion 2 and its independent direction.
• Numbers sort oddly: correct imported text amounts before rerunning.
• New record stays at the bottom: extend the selected rectangle to include it.

Use AutoFilter when you want to hide nonmatching records rather than rearrange them.

Version and verification notes

PlanMaker 2026 paid desktop; documentation-qualified workflow for Windows, macOS and Linux. NX builds require matching controls; FreeOffice and mobile editions are not verified. These steps use the English ribbon labels; classic-menu placement is not assumed to match. Documented context-menu or alternate ribbon routes are included where verified.

The instructions in this guide were checked against SoftMaker’s PlanMaker 2026 manual. Expected results are reference checks, not observations from a native application run. No current application screenshot is claimed.

Official references

• Sorting cells
• System requirements
• Saving a document