title: Sorting an Excel Table that contains Merged Cells
body: <p>I have a fairly simple Excel file, mostly layout (it's a report I've written), but midway down the document (row 28), I have a table that contains merged cells.</p>
  
  <p>i.e. A | B | D | E | F</p>
  
  <p>is as follows:</p>
  
  <p>A | BCD | E | F</p>
  
  <p>the same is done on the three rows below it, which contain the data, as follows:</p>
  
  <p>Cell B28:D28 is merged</p>
  
  <p>Cell B29:D29 is merged</p>
  
  <p>Cell B30:D30 is merged</p>
  
  <p>Cell B31:D31 is merged</p>
  
  <p>When I select range A28:F31 I cannot sort by any column, error as follows:</p>
  
  <p>"this operation requires merged cells to be identically sized"</p>
  
  <p>Microsoft's response is simply that I need to make sure my cells are merged.</p>
  
  <p><a href="http://support.microsoft.com/kb/813974" rel="nofollow">http://support.microsoft.com/kb/813974</a></p>
  
  <p>Any advice? Other than unmerging cells? I am aware that I can Center Across Selection for cells, but for the purposes of this report, I am required to use merged cells.</p>