I'm using Excel 2003, and this is how I do it.
Highlight all the columns that you want to sort by. So, in your case,
highlight all 13 columns. Then, in the menu, under Data, select sort.
It will post a dialog asking you which column you want to sort by. If you
wanted to sort the data by Column A, it will do so. You can also specify
that you have a header row, and it won't sort the top of the column.
If you specify multiple sort criteria, it will sort based on the first
criteria first, but if two rows have values that match in that first
criteria, it will move on to the second criteria, and so on.
It will keep the data together for all the columns you selected, but sort
based on the criteria you specify. So, if for instance your row 12 has in
Column A "Smith, Tom", and in Column B has "Salesman", then after the sort,
wherever "Smith, Tom" falls, Salesman will be kept with it. However, if you
didn't highlight column B before you did the Sort, then Column B will be
left alone.
You also don't have to highlight the entire column, you can just highlight a
portion of the spreadsheet, and sort that portion.
Hope that helps, if it doesn't, feel free to supply some more specific
information, and I'm sure someone can help!
--
Dante Gagne
Software Design Engineer/Test
Developer Division
Microsoft Corporation
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.