# Solved: excel random number sort question



## clairem80 (Apr 9, 2005)

I have generated random numbers in excel using =(RANDBETWEN1,4) to sort a list of email address into four random groups. What I'm trying to do now is to sort the email address by the group number (i.e., the random number generated), so I get all the emails in group 1, all the emails in group 2, etc.

When I try to do this using the normal sort function, the random numbers simply re-assign themselves, so that they don't actually get sorted, just have new numbers assigned to them.

Can anyone help me with this problem? Perhaps there is a way of copying the group numbers without the formula? (not sure if that even makes sense!)

Thanks in advance...


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## bomb #21 (Jul 1, 2005)

clairem80 said:


> I have generated random numbers in excel using =(RANDBETWEN1,4) to sort a list of email address into four random groups. What I'm trying to do now is to sort the email address by the group number (i.e., the random number generated), so I get all the emails in group 1, all the emails in group 2, etc.
> 
> When I try to do this using the normal sort function, the random numbers simply re-assign themselves, so that they don't actually get sorted, just have new numbers assigned to them.
> 
> ...


Hard-code the formula results before sorting (select > copy > Edit > Paste Special > Values).


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## clairem80 (Apr 9, 2005)

Thank you! I knew there had to be a way to do this....my brain wasn't working right!


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## Anne Troy (Feb 14, 1999)

Claire: I marked this thread SOLVED.


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