Random sort in Excel: shuffle cells, rows and columns

Svetlana Cheusheva by , updated on

The tutorial will teach you two quick ways to randomize in Excel: perform random sort with formulas and shuffle data by using a special tool.

Microsoft Excel provides a handful of different sorting options including ascending or descending order, by color or icon, as well as custom sort. However, it lacks one important feature - random sort. This functionality would come in handy in situations when you need to randomize data, say, for an unbiased assigning of tasks, allocation of shifts, or picking a lottery winner. This tutorial will teach you a couple of easy ways to do random sort in Excel.

How to randomize a list in Excel with a formula

Although there is no native function to perform random sort in Excel, there is a function to generate random numbers (Excel RAND function) and we are going to use it.

Assuming you have a list of names in column A, please follow these steps to randomize your list:

  1. Insert a new column next to the list of names you want to randomize. If your dataset consists of a single column, skip this step.
  2. In the first cell of the inserted column, enter the RAND formula: =RAND()
  3. Copy the formula down the column. The fastest way to do this is by double-clicking the fill handle: Excel RAND formula
  4. Sort the column filled with random numbers in ascending order (descending sort would move the column headers at the bottom of the table, you definitely don't want this). So, select any number in column B, go to the Home tab > Editing group and click Sort & Filter > Sort Largest to Smallest. Sort the column filled with random numbers in ascending order.

    Or, you can go to the Data tab > Sort & Filter group, and click the ZA button sort ascending.

Either way, Excel automatically expands the selection and sorts the names in column A as well: Names are sorted in random order.

Tips & notes:

  • Excel RAND is a volatile function, meaning that new random numbers are generated every time the worksheet is recalculated. So, if you are not happy with how your list has been randomized, keep hitting the sort button until you get the desired result.
  • To prevent the random numbers from recalculating with every change you make to the worksheet, copy the random numbers, and then paste them as values by using the Paste Special feature. Or, simply delete the column with the RAND formula if you don't need it any longer.
  • The same approach can be used to randomize multiple columns. To have it done, place two or more columns side by side so that the columns are contiguous, and then perform the above steps.

How to shuffle data in Excel with Ultimate Suite

If you don't have time to fiddle with formulas, use the Random Generator for Excel tool included with our Ultimate Suite to do a random sort faster.

  1. Head over to the Ablebits Tools tab > Utilities group, click the Randomize button, and then click Shuffle Cells. Shuffle Cells tool in Excel
  2. The Shuffle pane will appear on the left side of your workbook. You select the range where you want to shuffle data, and then choose one of the following options:
    • Cells in each row - shuffle cells in each row individually.
    • Cells in each column - randomly sort cells in each column.
    • Entire rows - shuffle rows in the selected range.
    • Entire columns - randomize the order of columns in the range.
    • All cells in the range - randomize all cells in the selected range.
  3. Click the Shuffle button.

In this example, we need to shuffle cells in column A, so we go with the third option: Shuffle cells in the selected columns.

And voilà, our list of names is randomized in no time: A list of names is randomized.

If you are curious to try this tool in your Excel, you are welcome to download an evaluation version below. Thank you for reading!

Available downloads

Ultimate Suite 14-day fully-functional version
Random Generator for Google Sheets

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