Office Compatibility Issues

Fix Excel Sorting Reverting to Original Order and XLFN Errors

WPS Editor Oct 1, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user is experiencing issues where sorted data in a spreadsheet reverts to its original order, and formulas display an XLFN prefix indicating unsupported functions.

How to Fix Excel Sorting Reverting to Original Order

Product: Microsoft Excel / Third-Party Spreadsheet Tools
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Opening, editing, saving, or importing an Excel workbook using third-party software or older spreadsheet applications.
Observed behavior: Applied sorting is undone upon recalculation or saving, and newer Microsoft 365 formulas are prefixed with _xlfn, preventing them from calculating correctly.

Before you start

Before troubleshooting, create a backup copy of your original workbook to prevent permanent data loss or formula corruption during saving and format conversion tests.

Solution 1Recommended

Identify and Update Third-Party Software

Third-party spreadsheet tools often rewrite data or drop newer features when saving files, which can cause custom sorting to revert.

Software components like ReoGrid or other third-party spreadsheet editors may not fully support modern Excel metadata. When these programs import and subsequently save a workbook, they may overwrite the file in an older standard (such as .xls), effectively stripping out the saved sorting order and advanced calculations.

Verify the editing software

Determine if the workbook is being imported, generated, or edited by a third-party application rather than native Excel.

Check format compatibility

Review the software's documentation to see if it natively supports the modern .xlsx format and Microsoft 365 functions without downgrading the file.

Save as strictly .xlsx

Ensure your workflow saves the file strictly in the .xlsx format to preserve sorting metadata, rather than relying on the older .xls compatibility mode.

Identify and Update Third-Party Software

Third-Party Export Limitations: Many third-party integrations only support basic XLS export, which routinely drops complex sorting rules and breaks modern formulas upon generation.

Solution 2

Resolve the _xlfn Formula Errors

The _xlfn. prefix appears when a formula created in a newer version of Excel is opened in an unsupported app or older version.

Seamless Spreadsheet Management

Sort Data and Use Modern Formulas in WPS Spreadsheets

Avoid third-party compatibility issues and unsupported formula errors by managing your workbooks in WPS Office. WPS Spreadsheets offers robust support for modern Excel formulas and maintains your data sorting perfectly across saves.

1. Open the workbook: Launch WPS Spreadsheets and open your existing .xlsx or .xls file.
2. Apply sorting rules: Highlight your data range, navigate to the Data tab, and select Sort to securely organize your data.
3. Use advanced formulas: Enter your formulas normally; WPS handles complex and modern functions directly without injecting the _xlfn prefix.
4. Save securely: Click Save. WPS ensures all sorting rules, filters, and complex formulas remain entirely intact for future use.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx, .xls, .csv) formats.Supports advanced modern formulas natively without triggering the _xlfn prefix error.Preserves custom sorting rules and formatting during recalculations and file saving.Free, lightweight, and features a familiar tabbed user interface for seamless migration.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does the _xlfn prefix mean in Excel?

The _xlfn prefix indicates that the workbook contains a function (such as XLOOKUP, MAXIFS, or CONCAT) that is not supported by the spreadsheet application or the older Excel version currently opening the file.

Why does my sorting undo itself when I save the file?

If you are using third-party software or saving in an older format like .xls, the application may not support saving internal sorting states, or it might force a full recalculation upon saving that restores the original data array order.

Can ReoGrid handle modern Microsoft 365 formulas?

Depending on the specific version you are using, ReoGrid and similar third-party .NET spreadsheet components often lack support for the latest Microsoft 365 functions, resulting in #NAME? errors or the _xlfn prefix being appended.

How do I find all unsupported formulas in my workbook?

Press Ctrl + F to open the Find dialog, type '_xlfn' in the search box, and click Find All. This will generate a list of every cell containing an unsupported formula so you can rewrite them with compatible alternatives.

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