How to Flip Data in Excel

To flip data in Excel, you reverse the order of a list so the last row becomes the first (a vertical flip) or the last column becomes the first (a horizontal flip). Excel has no single Flip button, but you can do it in under a minute with a helper column and the Sort command, or with a formula such as SORTBY in Microsoft 365 and Excel 2021 or later.

Flip vs. Transpose: Which Do You Need?

People often say "flip" when they mean two different things:

• Flip (reverse order): the data stays in the same rows or columns, but the order is upside down or right-to-left. For example, a list sorted oldest to newest becomes newest to oldest.
• Transpose (rotate): rows become columns and columns become rows. A vertical list turns into a horizontal one.

Rotating is a different job, covered in converting vertical data to horizontal in Excel and Microsoft’s transpose guide. The rest of this article covers reversing the order.

Method 1: Flip Rows With a Helper Column and Sort

This method works in every version of Excel, including Excel for the web and Mac, and it physically reorders your data.

1. Insert a blank column immediately to the right (or left) of your data and give it a heading such as Order.
2. Type 1 in the first data row and 2 in the row below.
3. Select both cells and double-click the fill handle (the small square at the bottom-right corner) to fill the numbers down to the last row of data.
4. Click any cell in the dataset, then go to Data > Sort. Excel should select the whole table automatically. Tick My data has headers if your first row is headings.
5. Choose Order in the Sort by box and Largest to Smallest under Order, then click OK.
6. Check the result, then delete the helper column.

Because the whole dataset is sorted together, each row stays intact. If you sort only one column, Excel may warn you with a "Sort Warning" dialog; choose Expand the selection so the other columns move too. Multi-level sorting is explained in sorting by two columns in Excel.

Method 2: Flip Columns Horizontally With Sort Left to Right

1. Insert a blank row directly below (or above) the data you want to flip.
2. Number the columns 1, 2, 3 and so on across that row.
3. Select the full range, including the helper row, and go to Data > Sort.
4. Click Options, choose Sort left to right and click OK.
5. In Sort by, pick the helper row, choose Largest to Smallest, and click OK.
6. Delete the helper row.

Leave any row labels in column A out of the selection, otherwise they will be moved to the right-hand side.

Method 3: Flip Data With a Formula (Microsoft 365 and Excel 2021+)

A formula leaves your original data untouched and shows a reversed copy that updates automatically when the source changes. The SORTBY function combined with SEQUENCE is the simplest option. For data in A2:C20, enter this in an empty cell:

=SORTBY(A2:C20, SEQUENCE(ROWS(A2:C20)), -1)

SEQUENCE creates the numbers 1, 2, 3 for each row, and the -1 sorts them in descending order, so the rows come back reversed. The result spills into the cells below and to the right, so make sure that area is empty.

To flip columns instead, use a horizontal sequence:

=SORTBY(A1:F5, SEQUENCE(1, COLUMNS(A1:F5)), -1)

Newer versions of Microsoft 365 also include CHOOSEROWS and CHOOSECOLS, which give the same result with a negative-step sequence, for example =CHOOSEROWS(A2:C20, SEQUENCE(ROWS(A2:C20),,ROWS(A2:C20),-1)).

Method 4: Flip a Single Column in Older Versions of Excel

Excel 2019 and earlier do not have SORTBY or SEQUENCE. To reverse a single list in A2:A20, type this in B2 and fill it down to B20:

=INDEX($A$2:$A$20, ROWS(A2:$A$20))

The ROWS part counts how many rows remain from the current position to the end of the list, so the first result returns the last item, the second returns the second-to-last, and so on.

Turning a Formula Result Into Fixed Values

If you want to replace the original data with the flipped version, copy the formula results, then right-click the destination and choose Paste Values. This removes the formulas so you can safely delete the source range. The other paste options are described in copying and pasting data in Excel.

Troubleshooting

#SPILL! error

The spill range is not empty. Clear the cells below and to the right of the formula, or move the formula to an empty area. Spilled results also cannot go inside an Excel table.

#NAME? error

Your version of Excel does not support SORTBY, SEQUENCE or CHOOSEROWS. Use the helper column method or the INDEX formula instead.

Rows got mixed up after sorting

Only part of the data was selected. Press Ctrl + Z straight away to undo, then select the entire dataset before sorting again.

Headers ended up at the bottom

My data has headers was not ticked in the Sort dialog. Undo, then sort again with that box checked.

Sort is grayed out

The sheet may be protected or you may be editing a cell. Press Esc, and if needed unprotect the sheet from the Review tab.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a flip button in Excel?

No. Excel does not have a built-in Flip or Reverse command, so you need a helper column with Sort, or a formula.

Can I flip data without changing the original?

Yes. Use the SORTBY formula or the INDEX formula in a separate area. The original data stays where it is.

How do I flip data upside down in Google Sheets?

The helper column method works the same way. Google Sheets also supports SORT with a SEQUENCE column, for example =SORT(A2:C20, SEQUENCE(ROWS(A2:C20)), FALSE).

Will flipping data break my formulas?

Sorting moves cell contents, so formulas that reference specific cells in the sorted range may now point to different values. Check dependent formulas after sorting, or work on a copy.