software

We have a list of numbers that we are having difficulty sorting. For
example, 7000-7100 should come after 700-710 because 7000 is more than 700.

The text ABC-D and a space should also preceed each number. Can you please
assist? Thanks.

Look in the help under quot;Default sort ordersquot; to gain a better understanding
of how Excel sorts data. I don't think you can change the sorting rules.
You just have to learn to work around them. For example: If you want 700-710
to come before 7000-7100 you will need to enter it as 0700-0710.

quot;Trudyquot; wrote:

gt; We have a list of numbers that we are having difficulty sorting. For
gt; example, 7000-7100 should come after 700-710 because 7000 is more than 700.
gt;
gt; The text ABC-D and a space should also preceed each number. Can you please
gt; assist? Thanks.

Thank you! Our problem is that our client will not allow leading zeros. I
was hoping to find a custom format that would solve this dilema.

quot;Slothquot; wrote:

gt; Look in the help under quot;Default sort ordersquot; to gain a better understanding
gt; of how Excel sorts data. I don't think you can change the sorting rules.
gt; You just have to learn to work around them. For example: If you want 700-710
gt; to come before 7000-7100 you will need to enter it as 0700-0710.
gt;
gt; quot;Trudyquot; wrote:
gt;
gt; gt; We have a list of numbers that we are having difficulty sorting. For
gt; gt; example, 7000-7100 should come after 700-710 because 7000 is more than 700.
gt; gt;
gt; gt; The text ABC-D and a space should also preceed each number. Can you please
gt; gt; assist? Thanks.

I suppose you could use a helper column, and sort according to that column.
You could use a formula like this to convert 700-710 to 0700-0710. You could
then hide the helper column.

=TEXT(LEFT(A1,FIND(quot;-quot;,A1)-1),quot;0000quot;)amp;quot;-quot;amp;TEXT(RIGHT(A1,LEN(A1)-FIND(quot;-quot;,A1)),quot;0000quot;)

quot;Trudyquot; wrote:

gt; Thank you! Our problem is that our client will not allow leading zeros. I
gt; was hoping to find a custom format that would solve this dilema.
gt;
gt; quot;Slothquot; wrote:
gt;
gt; gt; Look in the help under quot;Default sort ordersquot; to gain a better understanding
gt; gt; of how Excel sorts data. I don't think you can change the sorting rules.
gt; gt; You just have to learn to work around them. For example: If you want 700-710
gt; gt; to come before 7000-7100 you will need to enter it as 0700-0710.
gt; gt;
gt; gt; quot;Trudyquot; wrote:
gt; gt;
gt; gt; gt; We have a list of numbers that we are having difficulty sorting. For
gt; gt; gt; example, 7000-7100 should come after 700-710 because 7000 is more than 700.
gt; gt; gt;
gt; gt; gt; The text ABC-D and a space should also preceed each number. Can you please
gt; gt; gt; assist? Thanks.

Trudy,
A commercial application by yours truly...
www.officeletter.com/blink/specialsort.html
Jim Cone
San Francisco, USAOn Wed, 1 Mar 2006 14:59:28 -0800, quot;Trudyquot; gt;
wrote:

gt;We have a list of numbers that we are having difficulty sorting. For
gt;example, 7000-7100 should come after 700-710 because 7000 is more than 700.
gt;
gt;The text ABC-D and a space should also preceed each number. Can you please
gt;assist? Thanks.

You will need to modify the data, but you can do it simply with worksheet
formulas.

With your original data in A2:An

Assume you will display column B:

B1:=--SUBSTITUTE(A1,quot;-quot;,quot;quot;)

Copy/Drag down to Bn.

Select B1:Bn

Format/Cells/Number/Custom
Type: [gt;1000000]quot;ABC-D quot;0000-0000;quot;ABC-D quot;000-000

Then sort on Column B.

This also assumes that your ranges are either both three digit ranges; or both
four digit ranges. If there is more variability, post back.

Also, one could Paste Special the Values over column B and delete column A.

One could also do this with a macro if desirable.--ron