Sort puts rows in order; Filter temporarily hides the rows you don't need to see, without deleting anything.
Select the data, then Data tab → Sort, choosing a column and ascending or descending order.
Data tab → Filter adds dropdown arrows to each column header, letting rows be shown only if they match a condition — the underlying data doesn't change, only what's currently visible.
The most common sorting mistake
Always select the whole table, not just one column, before sorting. Sorting a single column scrambles which name goes with which number — Excel usually warns before doing this, but it's worth knowing why the warning exists.
Data tab → Sort → Add Level sorts by more than one column at once — for example, every row grouped by Department first, then alphabetically by Name within each department. Each level can have its own ascending or descending order.