Fix Latvian Alphabetical Sorting and Search Formulas in Excel for Mac
Question details
The user needs to fix an issue where Latvian special characters sort incorrectly and searchable drop-down formulas return zero results when a workbook is opened in Excel for Mac.
- Product
- Excel for Mac
- Device & OS
- Mac
- Scenario
- Using a Latvian and Russian recipe planner workbook created on Windows, but the sorting and dynamic drop-down lists fail on macOS.
- Observed behavior
- Latvian special characters do not follow the same alphabetical order as on Windows, and searchable drop-down formulas utilizing OFFSET and COUNTIF return no results.
Verify that your macOS System Settings for Language & Region are properly configured for Latvian, as Excel for Mac heavily relies on OS-level regional collation for sorting.
Verify Regional and Excel Language Settings
Ensure that the language and region settings in both macOS and Excel match the intended locale of the workbook to correctly interpret functions and character sorting.
Excel functions and sorting behaviors can vary significantly depending on local language settings. Translations of logical functions like IF, AND, and OR must align with the application's locale.
Open Excel for Mac, navigate to the top menu, and select Tools > Language. Ensure the selected language matches the primary language used when the workbook was created.
Open macOS System Settings, navigate to General > Language & Region, and ensure your primary language and region formats are set appropriately.
Isolate the Searchable Drop-Down Formula
Test the underlying formulas used in the data validation separately to identify where the logic fails on macOS.
Test Formulas in a New Workbook
Determine if the compatibility issue is isolated to this specific recipe planner or a broader Excel for Mac application behavior.
Try WPS Office for Cross-Platform Consistency
If Excel for Mac continues to struggle with regional sorting or complex formula compatibility from Windows, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, free alternative that processes advanced formulas and cross-platform workbooks reliably.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Excel formulas change when moved from Windows to Mac?
Formulas can be affected by regional settings, such as list separators (commas versus semicolons) and language translations of function names, particularly if the Mac's locale differs from the original Windows PC.
How does Excel sort special characters like the Latvian alphabet?
Excel for Mac relies heavily on the underlying macOS language and collation settings. Because macOS and Windows handle Unicode and regional sorting differently, characters may sort in a different sequence.
Why is my searchable drop-down list completely blank?
Searchable drop-downs usually rely on functions like OFFSET and COUNTIF inside Data Validation. If regional settings misinterpret formula delimiters, or if the text sorting breaks the expected formula array, the drop-down will fail to populate.
