Sorting of a Log Number that starts with a two digit year

[xltbob]

I have a spreadsheet that I want to sort by the Log Number. The Log Number consists of a two digit year and then a sequential number: yy-### where yy is the last two digits of a year and # represents the sequential number that starts at 001 at the start of the year. The range of Log Numbers I am working with are from 99-001 to 12-071. When I try to sort it, Excel 2007 puts 99-### before/after 12-### depending on ascending or descending sort as if 99 was a number and not a year.

I tried formatting the cells with a custom format of yy-###, but Excel won't take it.

Is there a "custom sort" I can create (or a better custom format) that will treat the first two digits as year digits so that it sorts it properly (99, 00, 01, 02, 03,...)? I'd prefer to stay away from any VB coding, but if that's the only way to do it, I will.

Thank you for any help.

Bob

[TMS]

If it's just two digits in the context of nn-nnn, it IS a number, NOT a year. You'd need to include the century in order for it to come out in the order you want. You could maybe add a helper column and check the first two digits and add a century. Then sort on the helper column before the log number.

Regards, TMS

[xltbob]

I found a workaround, I simply sorted by a specific date and then the log #. That did what I neeeded it to do.

Thanks!

Bob