What sort of sort are you using to sort?

Alphabetical order is a comfortable default, and Excel loves it. But when you’re trying to present a critical business decision, the alphabet is hiding the story. We're letting the tool, not the truth, drive the narrative. Here’s a simple shift in how you organize data that will make your insight instantly clear.

But outside of reference lists, the alphabet rarely helps your audience understand your data. In fact, it often hides the story you are trying to tell.

The Danger of Defaults

When you accept Excel’s default alphabetical sort, you let the tool, not the insight, lead the way. The result may look tidy, but it is rarely meaningful.

Your audience ends up scanning for patterns that are not there, working harder to draw conclusions that should have been clear at first glance.

Sort with Intention

To respect your audience’s time and attention, you need to decide how your data should be ordered.

Most often, that means sorting in descending order, putting the largest values at the top. This instantly communicates scale and relativity. Your audience can see what leads and what lags.

The story appears before you even start talking.

But descending is not always the answer. Sometimes ascending order makes sense, such as when showing progress or declining costs. Other times, chronological or categorical order tells the clearest story.

The key is to choose the order on purpose, not by default.

Make the Story Self-Evident

The way you order data can make patterns leap off the page or bury them completely. Sorting by size, sequence, or importance turns numbers into narrative. Sorting alphabetically usually does the opposite.

Ask yourself:

• What question do I want this chart to answer?

• What order best highlights the difference or relationship?

• Will my audience understand the story at a glance?

If the answer to that last question is “not yet,” then it’s time to re-sort.

The Takeaway

Alphabetical order works beautifully for reference lists. In data storytelling, it often hides meaning.

So do not let Excel decide how your audience sees your story. Choose the order that makes the insight clear. Sorting is not just about arrangement. It is about making your data speak for itself.

-BZ