How to Sort Tables in Word 2007

Preparation
1. Display the document in Print Layout view. Click the 'View' tab on the ribbon, then select 'Print Layout' in the left corner. The page displays in Print Layout view.
2. Select the table. Place your cursor in the table. When a small box containing a cross displays at the top left of the table, move your mouse to display a pointer with a cross similar to the one in the box, and click the box. The entire table is highlighted, indicating it is selected.
3. Activate the sort function. Click the 'Layout' tab on the ribbon, then click 'Sort.' The 'Sort' dialog box displays. The dialog box enables you to sort each table column, based on the type of information you want to sort and how you want to sort it.
Sort an entire table
4. Click the radio button for 'Header row' or 'No header row' in the 'My list has' section. If your table has headings for each row and you select 'Header row,' the name of the heading displays in the list of columns that can be sorted.
5. Select the column to sort. In the 'Sort by' drop-down list box, select the number or heading name of the column to sort. Columns are numbered from left to right.
6. Select the type of information to sort. In the 'Type' drop down list box, select one of the three options: 'Text,' 'Number' or 'Date.'
7. Select how you want to sort the data. The options are 'Ascending' and 'Descending.' Ascending order sorts from A to Z for text, lowest to highest for numbers, and earliest to oldest for dates. Descending order sorts in reverse compared with ascending order.
8. Add a second text entry, number or date to the criteria to be used in sorting the column, if desired. In the second row of the 'Sort' dialog box, from the 'Then by' drop-down list, make the same selection you did in Step 2; then, repeat Steps 3 and 4. An example of using this option is when a numbering system consists of a number and letter, such as 1a. To put everything in ascending order, the first sort would be by ascending number; the second would be by ascending text.
9. Add a third text entry, number or date to the criteria to be used in sorting the column, if desired. In the third row of the 'Sort' dialog box, from the 'Then by' drop-down list, make the same selection you did in Steps 2 and 5; then, repeat Steps 3 and 4.
10. Sort the table. Click the 'OK' button on the 'Sort' dialog box.