Create a Contact Phone Number List and Sort by Name

[bds1959]

Hello - I’d like to create a contact phone number list using LibreOffice, and sort it by name.

I’ve attached a sample of a Calc spreadsheet. Rows 2-thru-30 would be the “Raw data;” it’s simply a list of contacts and numbers in random order.

Rows 34-thru-48 show what I’d like the output to look like - two name/phone number columns per page.

There could potentially be several hundred name/phone numbers, so, obviously, a print-out would require multiple sheets of paper. I need the names to continue through all of the sheets in alphabetical order.

Is it possible to do this with a LibreOffice program? I was assuming CALC? OR, could it be done in BASE?

The other question is regarding on-going… when names are added, I’d like to be able to just put them at the beginning (or, I suppose, at the END if it would be a BASE document?) then simply re-sort, and, when the output is printed, all the names will still be in alphabetical order.

Any help/guidance/assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks! Test-Sort-Calc.ods

[mikekaganski]

You could copy+paste the single sorted column to Writer (as RTF/HTML, to get proper Writer table), and use two-column page layout in Writer.

[bds1959]

Thanks, Mike! What you’re suggesting makes sense! MAYBE I’m over-thinking, which I have a tendency to do, but I was thinking that any updates could be done on a spreadsheet, then [re-]sort it, then [re-]copy-paste it to the Writer. However… When I do a copy-paste from the CALC spreadsheet to the Writer document, it copies the whole group of cells as an image rather than just copying the raw data. Am I missing something?

[mikekaganski]

First: Writer also allows to sort tables. Use Tools → Sort.

As to pasted image - I have mentioned that you need to paste as - using the drop-down of the Paste button, or using Paste Special.

[bds1959]

Mike - I did find the Paste-Special, unformatted, however, then the spacing is off. And also I found the two columns, but I’m having a mental block on having essentially two columns of two columns! How/where do I get to the second 2-column column? It’s there, but does it start filling when the first column is filled-up? THANKS!

[mikekaganski]

Hmm… where did I mention “unformatted”?

as RTF/HTML

As to your “2-column column” - I’m not sure what you mean. Revising my answer, I find that I said “paste single column”, when I wanted to mean “2-column table (name, phone) in one column on paper” - hope you see what I mean.

[mikekaganski]

Here is a screen-cast with two variants of creating two-column layout: using sections, and using page style. Sections allow for more flexible layout (like distributing content, as shown).

[bds1959]

THANKS! I’ll look closer - don’t have much time right now, but it looks like this will help! Thanks again!