Long list of names - three columns

Question

Hi,  I am tryhing to do the follow:
-  I have a long list of names which need to be continually updated.
-  List is in Alphbetical order
-  As the list is so long I want to have three columns per page.
-  How can I keep updating and making sure they are in alphabetical order without having to keep organising them.
If you select and put into ascending order it only does one column at a time not the whole list?
Please can you help.
Thanks.
Ozpaws

Answer 1

Hi Oz,
I'm disappointed that we haven't heard from you since my (and Jerry's and Jeff's) most recent posts.
I've done a bit of further exploring since then. Here's a sample of the results, using the same data as in my earlier suggestion, but with the result data moved into two three-column tables.
The result tables (Print3x, on Sheet 1, on the right, are scaleable to the size that will fit one to a page, and additional result table need only a simple edit to the formula before it is filled into the new table. The extra column on Print3a is required to avoid a self-reference error. All Print3x tables must contain the same number of rows.
Updating, as previously, requires a sort of the Data table (on Sheet 2, on the left) after new entries are made. Resorting of the result tables is automatic.
The small table, Counts, on Sheet 2, is for calculations related to the transfer, and may be hidden, or moved to a third sheet, if desired.
Formulas:
Counts::B2: =COUNTA(Data3 :: $A)
Counts the number of names in the list.
Counts::B3: =ROWS(Print3a :: $D)-1
Counts the number of rows (including the header row) in Print3a. Subtracts 1 to obtain the number of rows to fill with names.
Counts::B4: =COLUMNS(Print3a :: $1:$1)-1
Counts the number of columns (including the extra column) in Print3a. Subtracts 1 to obtain the number of columns to fill with names.
Counts::B5: =B3*B4
Calculates the number of cells used when the table is full.
Print3a:
A2, and filled right to column 3 and down to the end of the table:
=IF(0+ROW()-1+(COLUMN()-1)*Counts :: $B$3<=Counts :: $B$2,OFFSET(Data3 :: $A$1,0+ROW()-1+(COLUMN()-1)*Counts :: $B$3,0),"")
0+ROW()-1+(COLUMN()-1)*Counts :: $B$3<=Counts :: $B$2
Compares the number of cells used to this point with the number of names to be filled in. If the number 'used' is less than or equal to the number of names, then:
OFFSET(Data3 :: $A$1,0+ROW()-1+(COLUMN()-1)*Counts :: $B$3,0)
Fills the current cell with the next name from the Data table.
If the number 'used' is greater than the number of names, then:
places a null string in the cell.
Print3b:
=IF((Counts::$B$5+ROW()-1+(COLUMN()-1)*Counts :: $B$3)<=Counts :: $B$2,OFFSET(Data3 :: $A$1,Counts :: $B$5+ROW()-1+(COLUMN()-1)*Counts :: $B$3,0),"")
This is the same formula as used on Print3a, with the two bold parts replaced as shown to make each new table start at the right place on the Data list.
For the third Print# table, Counts::$B$5 would be replaced with (2*Counts::$B$5), etc.
Some difficulty to set up, but fully automatic once in place. To Print, go to Sheet 2, then Print. Limit the pages to print to pages 1 to the count of tables containing names.
Regards,
Barry
PS: I like Jerry's method—simple and easy, requiring only a copy and paste, then setting the Pages document to three columns. The second step could possibly be eliminated by setting up a three column template, and using that for the document to paste into. (NOT tested due to lack of time at the moment)
B