How to sort linked data and keep formulas in Excel?

If a list of cells have some formulas or linked to other cells in the same sheet, the linked data will be changed while sorting the cells as below screenshot shown. In this article, I will talk about the methods on sorting the linked data and keep formulas in Excel.

Sort linked data and keep formulas with shortcuts

Sort linked data and keep formulas with Kutools for Excel

Sort linked data and keep formulas with shortcuts

To sort linked data and keep formulas without changed, you can change the references in formulas to an absolute reference, then sorting the data. Therefore the data will keep the formulas even if their orders change.

Select the formula cell, select the formula in the formula bar, and press F4 key to change the reference to absolute reference.

Tip: If there are several references in one cell, you need to change the references one by one by selecting and press F4 key in the formula bar.

Then change the references in other formula cells to absolute one by one.

Now the formulas are kept while sorting.

Sort linked data and keep formulas with Kutools for Excel

To change the references one by one is time-consuming, but with the Convert Refers utility in Kutools for Excel, you can quickly change all references in a range of absolute references as you need.

After installing Kutools for Excel, please do as below:（Free Download Kutools for Excel Now!)

1. Select the cells you want to change the reference, click Kutools > More (in the Formula group) > Convert Refers.

2. In the Convert Formula References dialog, check To absolute option. See screenshot:

3. Click Ok. Then all selection have been converted to absolute references.

4. Then you can sort the data.

  Demo

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