The Microsoft Word computer program was incorporated into the Windows system back in 1989 and has become one of the basic components for any computer. This tool has become almost indispensable for those who need to write a text.
Among its many functions, how to order alphabetically in Word is one of the most useful when making any list or list of concepts. Let’s see how to do it depending on the version we have of this program.
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How to sort alphabetically in Word 2003
The first version of Microsoft Word that was added to the Office package of Windows 2000 was in force until the beginning of 2007, and would become the last that could be used with this operating system.
Let’s see how to sort alphabetically in Word 2003. 1. Open the file that we will put in alphabetical order
If you don’t want to do it from the same document, you can open a new one and copy-paste the list that you have to make. Remember that it is important to have the words arranged in a list , that is, one on top of the other and from top to bottom; otherwise this function cannot be performed. 2. Select the words that will make up the list
If you intend to differentiate the list from the rest of the document, select all those words that are going to be ordered according to this criterion, so drag from the first to the last that has to be listed .
If, on the other hand, there is only this classification in the entire file, you can skip this step. 3. Click on “Table”
In the toolbar, on the right, located between “Tools” and “Window”, you will find this option. If you click on it, a series of options will be displayed: click “Sort”.
Next, a dialog called “Sort text” will open . 4. Choose how you are going to order
In this new box that we have before us, the classification by paragraphs appears by default. If you wish, modify this option and select if you want the list to follow an ascending order (from A to Z) or descending order (from Z to A). To know how to sort alphabetically, you must mark “Ascending”. On the contrary, if you select “Descending”, the list will progress in reverse order.
Note: suppose that each position in the list is made up of two words instead of one, and that you want to know how to alphabetize the second one as well.In this case, we go back to look for the “Sort text” option and check “Separate fields by”. In the next step, we click on “Others” and accept. Right after, we click on “Word 2”, which is an option that we will find in “Sort by”, and then, again “Accept”. How to sort alphabetically in Word 2007, 2010 and 2013
Versions after Microsoft Word 2003 also allow sorting alphabetically, so the following description will apply to any of the three that came after: 2007, 2010 and 2013; since they follow the same procedure.
Likewise, this guide is also valid for Office 365 and Outlook 2016, 2013, 2010 and 2007. 1. Open the file that we will put in alphabetical order
As with the old version, we can order directly in the document we are working on or copy and paste to another sheet. Remember that for them to be listed, you must put each new entry one below another , so start hitting the “Enter” key. 2. Select the words that will make up the list
Again, we will have to repeat the step that we detailed before, taking into account what we have mentioned: if the document to be listed does not consist of other differentiated paragraphs, you do not have to worry about separating which section to structure in this format.
If, on the contrary, what you are going to put on the list is only a part of a larger document, select from where to where it will occupy. 3. Click on “Paragraph”This section changes from how to sort alphabetically in Word 2003 . In this case, you have to look for the “Paragraph” field, which is located in the “Home” tab, at the top. Locate the “Sort” button, represented by an “A” icon over a “Z”. If you work with Outlook , the name of the tab where this option is located is called “Text format”, where “Sort” will appear later.
From here the “Sort text” dialog box will be displayed, which we also found in the previous version. 4. Choose the best order
As it happened before, the order that appears by default is paragraphs, so you will have to change it if it is not the one you want. From here, the procedure is practically the same .: look for the “Ascending” or “Descending” button to determine how you want to sort, ascending (from “A” to “Z”) or in reverse order (from “Z” to “A”).
As was the case with Word 2003, if we also want to list the second word of each new entry alphabetically, the procedure will be the same: click on the “Order text” options, search for “Separate fields by”, click on “Others” and insert a space.
Finally, just click on “Accept” and then select “Word 2” in the “Sort by” field and, again, “Accept”.
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