Converting month name to a number

[azizrasul]

I have a column of data that includes month names for 1 year which do not appear in the correct order i.e. Jan, Feb, Mar etc.

In an adjacent column I want to have a formula that will give me the month number so that I can sort the column in the correct monthly order.

The reason behind getting the correct order is that I have another column containing some numbers which I want manipulate in code.

 

[azizrasul]

Excel 2007

Column A

 

[Peter_SSs]

Excel 2007

Column A

OK, assuming A1:A5, follow this carefully ..

1. Select A1:A5
2. On the Data ribbon tab click the big 'Sort' button.
3. Ensure 'My data has headings' is checked near the top right of the Sort dialog.
4. Click the drop-down arrow in the 'Order' section at the right.
5. Click 'Custom List...'
6. Click on the January, February, March, ... list
7. OK
8. OK

The result for me is

Excel Workbook
	A
1	MTHNAME
2	April
3	May
4	June
5	July
6
Sort

 

[azizrasul]

That's exactly what I tried and it didn't work. I tried it again just to be sure I wasn't doing anything silly, but still didn't work.

 

[azizrasul]

OK I know what I was doing wrong. I was selecting Jan, Feb, etc. in the custom list and not January, February, etc.

Thanks Peter and Paul.

 

[Peter_SSs]

That's exactly what I tried and it didn't work.

When you say it didn't work, what happened? Nothing? A message?

Can you confirm that in the Custom List you chose the list with full month names, not
Jan, Feb, Mar, ...?

Edit: OK, I missed your last post. I can see now this was the problem. (I did say to follow the steps carefully. )

 

[azizrasul]

I think my brain was half asleep.