# Sort Data in Excel Files

> Sort rows in an Excel table in ascending order and remove duplicates using the Remove Data Row and Sort Data Table activities.

The example below explains how an `.xlsx` table can be processed to display the data presented in all rows in ascending order, without any duplicates.

It presents activities such as [Remove Data Row](https://docs.uipath.com/activities/other/latest/user-guide/remove-data-row), [Read Range](https://docs.uipath.com/activities/other/latest/productivity/excel-read-range) or [Sort Table](https://docs.uipath.com/activities/other/latest/productivity/excel-sort-table). You can find these activities in the **UiPath.Excel.Activities** package.

The example below uses a table comprising five columns - **id**, **first-name**, **last-name**, **email**, and **gender**. The entries in the table are arranged in descending order. Some of the rows appear several times along the spreadsheet. Using an automation process, data is sorted in ascending order and all duplicates are removed.

This is how the automation process can be built:

1. Open Studio and create a new **Process** named by default **Main**.
:::note
Make sure to add the `.xlsx` file that you want to use in the project folder. You can also use the file we provided by downloading the example available at the bottom of this page.
:::
2. Drag a **Flowchart** in the **Workflow Designer**.
   * Create the following variables:

    | Variable Name | Variable Type | Default Value |
    | --- | --- | --- |
    | `existingColumns` | **WorkbookApplication** | **N/A** |
3. Drag an **Excel Application Scope** activity in the **Flowchart** and connect it to the **Start Node**.
   * Open the **Excel Application Scope** activity.
   * In the **Properties** panel, add the name `Sorting rows ascending` in the **DisplayName** field.
   * Add the path of the `.xlsx` file in the **WorkbookPath** field, in this case, `Book.xlsx`.
   * Select the check boxes for the **AutoSave**, **CreateNewFile** and **Visible** options. The robot is now allowed to create a new Excel workbook, to automatically save all the changes made to it and to open the Excel file in the foreground while performing actions on it.
   * Add the variable `existingColumns` in the **Workbook** field.
4. Select the **Do** sequence inside the **Excel Application Scope** activity and create the following variable:

    | Variable Name | Variable Type | Default Value |
    | --- | --- | --- |
    | `descendingOrder` | **System.Data.DataTable** | **N/A** |
5. Drag an Excel **Read Range** activity inside the **Do** sequence.
   * In the **Properties** panel, add the name `"Sheet1"` in the **SheetName** field.
   * Select the **AddHeaders** check box for considering the first row of the table a header.
   * Add the variable `descendingOrder` in the **DataTable** field.
6. Place a **Sort Table** activity under the **Read Range** activity.
   * In the **Properties** panel, add the name `"id"` in the **ColumnName** field.
   * Select `Ascending` from the **Order** list.
   * Add the name `"Sheet1"` in the **SheetName** field.
   * Add the name `"Table1"` in the **TableName** field.
7. Return to the **Flowchart** workflow.
8. Drag an **Excel Application Scope** activity and connect it to the previous **Excel Application Scope** activity.
   * Open the **Excel Application Scope** activity.
   * In the **Properties** panel, add the name `Deleting duplicates` in the **DisplayName** field.
   * Select the check boxes for the **AutoSave**, **CreateNewFile** and **Visible** options. The robot is now allowed to create a new Excel workbook, to automatically save all the changes made to it and to open the Excel file in the foreground while performing actions on it.
   * Add the variable `existingColumns` in the **Workbook** field.
9. Drag an Excel **Read Range** activity inside the **Do** sequence.
   * In the **Properties** panel, add the name `"Sheet1"` in the **SheetName** field.
   * Select the **AddHeaders** check box for considering the first row of the table a header.
   * Add the variable `descendingOrder` in the **DataTable** field.
10. Place a **While** activity below the **Read Range** activity.
    * Create the following variable:

    | Variable Name | Variable Type | Default Value |
    | --- | --- | --- |
    | `rowIndex` | **Int32** | 0 |
    * Add the expression `rowIndex+1 < descendingOrder.Rows.Count` in the **Condition** field. This expression process the entire table and enables you to perform the **While** loop until the `row index +1` is smaller than the total number of rows.
11. Add a **Sequence** container in the body of the **While** activity.
    * Create the following variables:

    | Variable Name | Variable Type | Default Value |
    | --- | --- | --- |
    | `row` | **System.Data.DataRow** | **N/A** |
    | `rowNext` | **System.Data.DataRow** | **N/A** |
12. Place an **Assign** activity inside the previously created **Sequence** container.
    * Add the variable `row` in the **To** field and the expression `descendingOrder.Rows(rowIndex)` in the **Value** field. This enables you to assign the information contained in a row to the row variable according to its index.
13. Drag another **Assign** activity and place it below the previous one.
    * Add the variable `rowNext` in the **To** field and the expression `descendingOrder.Rows(rowIndex+1)` in the **Value** field. This assigns the value of the following row to the `rowNext` variable, and thus helps you iterate through all the table.
14. Add an **If** activity under the **Assign** activity.
    * Add the expression `row(0).ToString=rowNext(0).Tostring` in the **Condition** field. This condition checks if the data contained in the `row` variable is identical to the one in the `rowNext` variable.
15. Drag a **Remove Data Row** activity in the **Then** field of the **If** activity.
    * Add the variable `descendingOrder` in the **DataTable** field and the variable `rowNext` in the **Row** field.
16. Place an **Assign** activity in the **Else** field of the **If** activity.
    * Add the variable `rowIndex` in the **To** field and the expression `rowIndex+1` in the **Value** field.
17. Add a **Write Range** activity below the **While** activity.
    * Add the name `"Sheet2"` in the **SheetName** field, the value `"A1"` in the **StartingCell** field and the variable `descendingOrder` in the **DataTable** field.
    * Select the **AddHeaders** check box for considering the first row of the table a header.
18. Run the process. The automation process creates a new sheet that displays the data in ascending order without any duplicates.

[Download example](https://docexamples.uipath.com/examples/Activities/Sort%20Data%20in%20CSV%20Files%20-%20Example.zip)