Splitting data into multiple columns with Text to Columns

In this worksheet called text columns,…we've got data in column A.…And unfortunately we cannot sort this data by last name,…at least not in its current form.…And it's a common issue to encounter as you work with data.…Another example, off to the right in column G,…is city, state, zip in the same column.…Again, that's great for the mailing label,…but this is next to your other data,…and you're trying to sort the data by state or by zip code,…you cannot do that.…Fortunately there's a technique available,…and also a new technique in Excel 2013 called "flash fill"…that we want to take a look at.…

The technique that's been around for a while,…the command is found on the data tab…and it's called "text to columns".…And when you slide over that feature…and look at the description,…"Split a single column of text into multiple columns.…"For example you could separate a column of full names…"into separate first- and last-name columns."…That's exactly what we're about to do here.…So select the data ahead of time,…and in this example as in many examples,…