What does the "Sort" function do in Excel?

The "Sort" function in Excel is primarily used to organize data in a specified order, which can be either ascending or descending. This feature allows users to arrange their data based on specific criteria, such as alphabetical order for text or numerical order for numbers. For instance, if you have a list of student names and their grades, using the sort function enables you to quickly arrange the names in alphabetical order or the grades from highest to lowest.

Sorting is crucial when you need to analyze data trends or when presenting organized data is essential for reporting and decision-making. By selecting a range of data and applying the sort function, you can effectively enhance the readability and utility of your data, making it easier to locate specific entries and draw meaningful insights.

The other options refer to different functionalities within Excel, such as filtering data, calculating totals, or dealing with duplicates, but they do not align with the primary purpose of the sort function, which is to organize data in a specified order.