Issues with sorting by date in Numbers App

[chubbles]

I am trying to learn Numbers and have started with a blank spreadsheet template. I want to include a column where I enter dates and sort them by increasing/decreasing order. I can't get it to arrange even after following step-by-step instructions I found on the Internet. I've tried several spreadsheets - thinking I might have done something that would "freeze" my entries, all to no avail. The frustrating part is that my wife can get it to work on her iPad. My 2019 MacBook Pro will not. Is there some secret I am missing?

I have 5 rows and 5 columns of data, 1 column is dates. I formatted the dates column to be day/month/year. I then set the column to sort in Ascending Order. This is what I get, obviously not sorted properly.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,
chubbles

 

[chabig]

I then set the column to sort in Ascending Order. This is what I get, obviously not sorted properly.

The column you posted as an example looks correctly sorted to me—1977, 2020, 2021, 2027, and 2044. If you don’t intend the years to sort that way, use four digit years.

 

[chubbles]

chabig thanks for the interest and reply.
I'm confused, in my mind 1944 is long before 1977, 1920, 1921, and 1927, but it is listed after them. 1977, 1920, 1921, and 1927 are in ascending order, but 1944 is not.
Help,
chubbles

 

[James_C]

The issue is you are using YY format, you think you are entering 1944, but the computer assumes you mean 2044. You need to use YYYY, then it will sort correctly.

 

[James_C]

I created a short screen cast tutorial for how to set the correct date format for the cells.

Numbers – Tapes

 

[chubbles]

James I bet you're got it! I just threw that date in because it's my birth year. The table is for keeping track of bonds I purchase so all the dates will be in the future.
I'm off to fill in real data to see if it works.
thanks guys for the help,
chubbles

 

[chubbles]

This post is mostly for James Craner and chabig.
A GREAT thanks to you two for getting the date setup in Numbers through my thick skull. I was able to create a table that was even better than I had planned. I had hours trying to figure out what was going on, you folks saved me a bunch of time.

A BIG thanks to both of you!!
chubbles