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

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:

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

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:

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

Before applying Kutools for Excel, please download and install it firstly.

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

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.

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.

  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:

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:

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


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:

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:

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

  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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Comments (2)
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This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
I would like create a list where people enter their name and once that is done, the cell next to their name ranomdly selects a "gift" from a list I have created...
Is there anyway to do that?
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hi there,

You can use a formula as shown below:
=IF(C2="","",INDEX($A$2:$A$11, RANDBETWEEN(1, N)))
Note: C2 is the cell where you will enter someone's name; $A$2:$A$11 is the list of gifts; N is the number of gifts.
https://www.extendoffice.com/images/stories/comments/ljy-picture/random-gift.png

Note that the formula will recalculate each time you make changes to the worksheet. So after you enter the name and get a gift next to it, you should press Ctrl + C to copy the result, and then right click the selected range and click Paste Special > Values.

You can also Kutools for Excel's Insert Random Data feature: First create a custom list with the gift list you created, and then apply the feature to get a random gift. Details about the feature: https://www.extendoffice.com/product/kutools-for-excel/excel-random-number-generator.html#a4

If you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask me.

Amanda
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