Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Sorting a Text Selection.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated May 3, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
As you use Word, there will be numerous times when you need to rearrange a list of items. Word provides a sorting tool that makes rearranging lists easy. To sort a selection of text, follow these steps:
Figure 1. The Sort Text dialog box.
The Sorting function in Word is rather basic. If you need to do more advanced sorting consider copying your data into Excel or pasting an Excel spreadsheet object into your Word document.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1098) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Sorting a Text Selection.
Do More in Less Time! An easy-to-understand guide to the more advanced features available in the Microsoft 365 version of Word. Enhance the quality of your documents and boost productivity in any field with this in-depth resource. Complete your Word-related tasks more efficiently as you unlock lesser-known tools and learn to quickly access the features you need. Check out Microsoft 365 Word For Professionals For Dummies today!
Word allows you to easily sort the information you store in a document. If you want to sort information as groups of ...
Discover MoreSome people like to format simple tables using tabs instead of using Word's table editor. When it comes time to sort such ...
Discover MoreGot a document that contains a bunch of addresses? If you want to sort the addresses, then you are in for a surprise ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2020-06-27 17:24:01
How do I correct footnote numbering that is out of sequence, ,i.e., footnoting, after deletions and editing and insertions, is suddenly out of sequence and won't let me correct it, always inserting the wrong footnotes from an earlier edition. I want the footnote numbers to be sequential in the new edition.
Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here:
Comments