Apache OpenOffice Community Forum

For a spreadsheet like this, how do I sort by date? It's doing it numerically. Thank you in advance.

phire404 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 18, 2025 12:09 am It's doing it numerically.

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[Solved] Unable to Sort by Date Column
[Solved] Can't sort dates
[Solved] Date format for sort

If you need any additional assistance attach a spreadsheet demonstrating the situation (remove confidential information then use Post Reply, not Quick Reply, and don't attach a picture instead of the spreadsheet itself). I will not help further unless you attach a spreadsheet document.

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[Tutorial] Ten concepts that every Calc user should know

Thank you MrProgrammer, the only problem is I don't understand any of those threads. Is there a video tutorial that can help with sorting by date in OpenOffice? I have tried looking on YouTube but I haven't found one that helps yet.

I was unable to understand the human-made explanations. So I asked ChatGPT and this worked for me:

Use “Text to Columns” (best and easiest)

Select the entire date column.
Go to Data → Text to Columns.
Under Fields, make sure the column is highlighted.
On the right, set the Column Type to Date (DMY, MDY, YMD) depending on your format.
Click OK.
Calc will convert text-like dates into real numeric date values.

phire404 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 18, 2025 2:48 am I was unable to understand the human-made explanations. So I asked ChatGPT and this worked for me:

Select the entire date column.
Go to Data → Text to Columns.
Under Fields, make sure the column is highlighted.
On the right, set the Column Type to Date (DMY, MDY, YMD) depending on your format.
Click OK.
Calc will convert text-like dates into real numeric date values.

I'm glad you found a solution. The following advice was in the first topic that I linked for you. Click the arrow below to view it. Seems as if AI is just repeating what I said 14 years ago.

MrProgrammer wrote: ↑Fri May 27, 2011 6:33 pm Select the entire DATE column and use Data, Text to Columns. Underneath Fields, Column type, click Standard, then in the box to the right of Column type, change Standard to Date (MDY), OK. This will convert the values in the column to dates.