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“XL Sort lists” most likely refers to Excel custom lists: ordered sequences that tell Excel how to sort values when alphabetical or numeric order is not what you want. For example, a custom list can put sizes in the order S, M, L, XL, or priorities in the order High, Medium, Low.
What is an Excel custom list?
A custom list is a sequence of values Excel can use for sorting or filling cells in a user-defined order. Excel includes lists for weekdays and months; you can also create your own for values such as sizes, compass directions, or job titles. It is a sorting aid, not a separate kind of spreadsheet.
For example, an ordinary ascending sort might put “High,” “Low,” and “Medium” in alphabetical order. A custom list instead lets you specify the intended sequence: High, Medium, Low. Microsoft describes the feature as a way to “sort or fill in a user-defined order.” Microsoft Support: Create or delete a custom list for sorting and filling data.
When should you use a custom list?
Use one when the order has meaning that a standard ascending or descending sort cannot represent. Examples include:
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- Priority: High, Medium, Low
- Clothing sizes: S, M, L, XL
- Relative sizes: Large, Medium, Small
- Compass directions or job titles in an organization’s preferred sequence
Use ordinary sorting when alphabetical or numeric order is the intended result. Custom lists are based on the cell values, not their appearance: you cannot define a custom-list sequence using cell color, font color, or an icon. Excel can sort by those formats separately. Microsoft Support: Sort data in a range or table in Excel.
How to create a custom list
Microsoft documents two ways to create a list: enter its values in the Custom Lists dialog, or import values already arranged in a worksheet range. The first is convenient for a short sequence; importing is useful when the values are already laid out in cells.
Enter a short list
- Open Excel’s Custom Lists dialog. The exact route and labels can vary by Excel platform and edition; use Microsoft’s instructions for your version.
- Choose the option to add or enter a new list, then type the entries in the intended order.
- Add the list and close the dialog to save it on that computer.
Import a list from worksheet cells
- Enter the values in a worksheet range, in the order you want Excel to use.
- Open the Custom Lists dialog and choose the option to import the range.
- Confirm the range and add it as a custom list.
A custom list can contain text or a mixture of text and numbers. If it contains only numbers, Microsoft says to format the numbers as text before creating the list. See Microsoft’s custom-list instructions for the version-specific dialog steps.
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How to sort a worksheet using the list
- Select the data you want to sort, including its headers if applicable.
- Go to Data > Sort.
- Choose the column whose values should follow the custom sequence.
- In the Order setting, choose Custom List, then select the desired list.
- Confirm the sort. Excel orders rows according to the values in the selected column and keeps the corresponding row data together.
The labels can differ across platforms, languages, and Excel updates. Microsoft’s guide to sorting with a custom list covers the Sort dialog workflow: Sort data using a custom list.
Use a custom list with multiple sort levels
Excel allows multiple sort levels, such as sorting first by priority and then by department. Set the custom-list order on the level for the column that contains the values in that sequence; other levels can use their own columns and sort criteria. Microsoft’s general sorting guide explains multi-level sorts and other criteria: Sort data in a range or table in Excel.
What happens when you share a workbook?
A custom list you create is stored on the computer where you create it. Microsoft says a list used for sorting is also saved with the workbook. When that workbook is opened on another computer or server, the saved list may be available in the Sort dialog’s Order setting even if it does not appear in that computer’s Custom Lists dialog. It also may not be immediately available for filling cells there. If another user needs to use the list for more than sorting, they may need to create it on their own computer.
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Which Excel versions support custom lists?
Microsoft’s cited support pages list Excel for Microsoft 365, Excel 2024, Excel 2021, Excel 2019, and Excel 2016. The English-language documentation does not establish that interface labels are identical across every platform, language, or update channel, so check the instructions for the version you use.
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