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How to randomly sort cells in a column or range in Excel?

Author Kelly Last modified

You may need to randomly sort cells in a selection in Microsoft Excel. The following ways will help you easily randomize cells of a range quickly.

Sort cells in each column of a range randomly with Rand function and Sort command
Easily sort cells in each column or row of a range randomly with Kutools for Excel
Easily sort entire rows or columns of a range randomly with Kutools for Excel
Easily sort all cells in a range randomly with Kutools for Excel


Sort cells in each column of a range randomly with Rand function and Sort command

We can use Microsoft Excel's Rand function and Sort command to sort cells in each column of a range randomly with following steps:

1. Insert a help column before the range you will sort cells randomly.

2. Enter formuls =RAND( ) into the first cell of the help column, then drag the Fill Handle down to other cells (Note: The Rand function will recalculate every time, so you will get different random numbers from cell A1 to A6 in this case). See screenshot:

enter a fromula to get a list of random numbers

3. Select this new table (A1:E6), and click Data > Sort.

screenshot of clicking Data > Sort

3. In the Sort dialog box, select Column A from the Sort by drop down list, and then click the OK button. See screenshot:

specify the options in the dialog box

4. You can delete or hide the help column as you need.

5. Insert columns before Column C, Column D, and Column E, and repeat Step 2 to 4 to get a new table with random order in each column, see screenshot:

the data in the range are sorted with random order in each column

Notes:

1. This method requires users to repeatedly insert random numbers and sort. It will be boring if you need to sort cells in a big selection at random.

2. This method will only sort cells in each column at random, and it won't shuffle cells from different columns.


Easily Sort cells in each column or row of a range randomly with Kutools for Excel

If you want to sort cells in each column or row at once, here I recommend you the Sort / Select Range Randomly utility of Kutools for Excel. This handy tool can randomize cells in each column or row of a selection all at once in Excel. Please do as follows

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1. Select the range you want to sort randomly and click Kutools > Range > Sort / Select Range Randomly. See screenshot:

click Sort / Select Range Randomly feature of kutools

2. In the Sort/Select Range Randomly dialog box, select Cells in each row or Cells in each column as you need under the Sort tab, and then click the OK button.

specify the sort type in the dialog box

Note: If you want to sort cells with formatting, please check the Sorting with cell formatting box in the Sort/Select Range Randomly dialog box.

Then cells in selection are sorted randomly in each row or column at once as below screenshot shown.

sort cells in each column or row by kutools

  If you want to have a free trial (30-day) of this utility, please click to download it, and then go to apply the operation according above steps.


Sort entire rows or columns of a range at random with Kutools for Excel

Kutools for Excel's Sort Select Range Randomly function also can sort entire rows or columns in a selection randomly.

1. Select a range you want to sort, and click Kutools > Range > Sort / Select Range Randomly, see screenshot:

click Sort / Select Range Randomly feature of kutools

2. In the Sort/Select Range Randomly dialog box, select Entire rows under the Sort tab if you want to sort entire rows randomly. Or select Entire columns to sort columns randomly, and then click the OK button. See screenshot:

specify the sort type in the dialog box

Now rows or columns are sorted randomly in seletced range as below screenshot shown.

rows or columns are sorted randomly in seletced range


Sort all cells in a range at random with Kutools for Excel

If you want to sort all cells randomly in a range, this utility will also be a good choice.

1. Select the range you will sort all cells randomly, and click Kutools > Range > Sort / Select Range Randomly. See screenshot:

click Sort / Select Range Randomly feature of kutools

2. Select All cells in the range under the Sort tab in the Sort Range Randomly dialog box, and then click the OK button. See screenshot:

specify the sort type in the dialog box

Then all cells in selected range are sorted randomly. See screenshot:

all cells in selected range are sorted randomly

  If you want to have a free trial (30-day) of this utility, please click to download it, and then go to apply the operation according above steps.


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