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A custom list is a reusable sequence of values; a custom sort order is the rule Excel applies when arranging data. For example, define High, Medium, Low as a custom list, then select it in the Sort dialog to arrange rows by priority. The list is the reusable sequence; the sort operation is where you choose how Excel uses it.
Custom list vs. custom sort order: the difference
| Question | Custom list | Custom sort order or operation |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | A reusable sequence of values in a specific order, such as High, Medium, Low. | The criteria Excel applies in a particular sort operation. |
| What does it do? | Defines a nonalphabetical order and can also be used with Fill. | Arranges rows by a selected column and can include additional sort levels. |
| Can it sort by color or icon? | No. A custom list defines an order for values. | Yes. A sort operation can use cell color, font color, or conditional-formatting icons as criteria. |
| Can it be reused on another computer? | Lists are stored on the computer, and a list used in a sort is also saved with the workbook. On another computer, it may be available in the Sort dialog but absent from the Custom Lists panel and unavailable for Fill. | A workbook-stored list may remain selectable in the Sort dialog on another computer. |
Excel includes built-in lists for weekdays and months. You can also define sequences such as High, Medium, Low or S, M, L, XL to make Excel sort by a meaningful order rather than alphabetically. Microsoft describes a custom list as a way to “sort or fill in a user-defined order” in its custom-list guidance.
How to sort by a custom list in Excel
These Windows desktop steps are documented for Excel for Microsoft 365, Excel 2024, Excel 2021, Excel 2019, and Excel 2016. When sorting a worksheet, Microsoft recommends using column headings.
- Create the sequence: Enter the values in the order you want in a worksheet range, such as High, Medium, and Low, one value per cell.
- Open the custom-list settings: Go to File > Options > Advanced > General > Edit Custom Lists.
- Add the list: Select the worksheet range and import it, or type a short list into the Custom Lists dialog and add it.
- Open Sort: Select the data to arrange and go to Data > Sort.
- Choose the rule: Select the column to sort, choose Custom List under Order, select the intended sequence, and confirm.
For example, selecting the High, Medium, Low list for a Priority column places High rows first, followed by Medium and then Low. To sort within those groups—for instance, by department or name—add another sort level in the Sort dialog. See Microsoft’s custom-list sorting instructions and its overview of sorting a range or table.
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Where to create a custom list on Mac
Excel for Mac uses a different settings path from Windows. Microsoft documents it as Excel > Preferences > Formulas and Lists > Custom Lists. Add the entries in the order you want, then open the Sort dialog and select Custom List under Order. Do not expect the Windows File > Options labels to match the Mac interface. See Microsoft’s Excel for Mac sorting instructions.
When to use a format-based sort instead
A custom list is for ordering cell values; it does not define a sequence based on formatting. If the desired rule is to put a particular fill color, font color, or conditional-formatting icon first, set that criterion in the Sort dialog instead. Microsoft notes that Excel has no default order for cell colors, font colors, or icons, so you choose the order in the sort operation.
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Important limits and cross-computer behavior
- Number-only lists: Microsoft documents custom lists containing text or a mixture of text and numbers. If the list contains only numbers, format them as text first.
- Formatting is not list content: You cannot define a custom list by cell color or icon; use format-based sort criteria for those.
- Computer and workbook storage differ: Lists are stored on the computer, while a list used in a sort is also saved with the workbook. On another computer, that workbook-stored list may still be available in Sort even if it does not appear in Excel Options’ Custom Lists panel; it is not immediately available there for Fill.
- Platform menus differ: Windows and Mac have distinct paths for creating lists, as described above.
For details on number formatting and how custom lists are stored, consult Microsoft’s Create or delete a custom list for sorting and filling data.
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