Sort by Color In Excel

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This UDF (User Defined Function) will allow you to nominate a range of colored cells to be sorted by the color order chosen. In other words, Sort by color! This example code sorts by the cells Interior (Background) color. You can also sort by the cells Text color by Replacing Interior with Font.

The Code

Function ColorRank(ColorOrder As Range, LookCell As Range)

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

'Written by OzGrid Business Applications

'www.ozgid.com



'Ranks a list of Colors so they can be sorted

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''



	Dim i As Integer

	Dim ICol1 As Integer

	Dim ICol2 As Integer



	i = 1

	ICol2 = -1

	ColorRank = 0



	'Loop until match is found

	Do Until ICol1 = ICol2

		'Replace "Interior" with Font to sort by Font color

		ICol1 = ColorOrder(i, 1).Interior.ColorIndex

		ICol2 = LookCell.Interior.ColorIndex

			If i = ColorOrder.Rows.Count + 1 Then

				'No Match found place in Text

				ColorRank = "No colour match!!!"

				Exit Do

			End If

		'Pass the Row number of the colour match

		ColorRank = i

		i = i + 1

	Loop

End Function

To use this UDF push Alt+F11 and go Insert>Module and paste in the code. Push Alt+Q and save. The Function will appear under "User Defined" in the Paste Function (Shift+F3).

Use the Function as shown in the graphic example below.

Color Order	Amount	Formula Result	Formula Used
	200	4	=ColorRank($A$2:$A$7,C2)
	100	6	=ColorRank($A$2:$A$7,C3)
	955	2	=ColorRank($A$2:$A$7,C4)
	500	3	=ColorRank($A$2:$A$7,C5)
	1000	1	=ColorRank($A$2:$A$7,C6)
	800	2	=ColorRank($A$2:$A$7,C7)
	1500	1	=ColorRank($A$2:$A$7,C8)
	500	3	=ColorRank($A$2:$A$7,C9)
	2000	1	=ColorRank($A$2:$A$7,C10)
	100	5	=ColorRank($A$2:$A$7,C11)
	20	No Color match !!	=ColorRank($A$2:$A$7,C12)

$A$2:$A$7is the Color Order wanted.

Once you have the formulas in, reading from your list and from the "Color Order" list you simply sort your list and the formula results by the "Formula Result" column.