Pivot table not sorted... "Data source order" not awailable

I use a pivot table in which I have some Row field columns (grouping) and
some Column field columns (data).

Row field columns (grouping):
Big Group : text
ABC : text
Article No: text starting with article number like "10/7001-20 |WG
|A|GE|AA"

Column field columns (data):
sum of open orders : integer
...

I understand I can specify in the Field Setting:Advanced:Autosort options to
sort within each "Big group", each "ABC", all "Article No" Ascending, using
field "sum of open orders".
If I do this, the sorting is done properly, according to the data column.

The other options are "Manual" and "Data source order"

The "Data source order" is not awailable and is dimmed. Why ???

And if I specify "Manual" (or dont specify any sorting) in the data column
the result is not always sorted according to the data source...
How can I ensure that within each "big group", each "ABC", all "Article No"
will be sorted alphabetically ???

I thought that if I don't specify anything, they would appear in the same
otder as in the excel database... that is already sorted top down or bottom
up...
but they are not sorted at all... Why ???

I don't get it... can anybody help ?

Thanks,
pg

"pgchop" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I use a pivot table in which I have some Row field columns (grouping) and
> some Column field columns (data).
>
> Row field columns (grouping):
> Big Group : text
> ABC : text
> Article No: text starting with article number like "10/7001-20 |WG
> |A|GE|AA"
>
> Column field columns (data):
> sum of open orders : integer
> ...
>
> I understand I can specify in the Field Setting:Advanced:Autosort options
> to
> sort within each "Big group", each "ABC", all "Article No" Ascending,
> using
> field "sum of open orders".
> If I do this, the sorting is done properly, according to the data column.
>
> The other options are "Manual" and "Data source order"
>
> The "Data source order" is not awailable and is dimmed. Why ???
>

The data source must support this option for it to be available.

> And if I specify "Manual" (or dont specify any sorting) in the data column
> the result is not always sorted according to the data source...

Manual means that you can sort items manually by dragging them.

> How can I ensure that within each "big group", each "ABC", all "Article
> No"
> will be sorted alphabetically ???

Select Ascending as the sort option for that field.

>
> I thought that if I don't specify anything, they would appear in the same
> otder as in the excel database... that is already sorted top down or
> bottom
> up...
> but they are not sorted at all... Why ???
>

PTs don't always work the way you think they should. Specify the desired
sort, do not expect it to happen automatically.



--
Peter Aitken

Remove the crap from my email address before using.

Thanks Peter but it does not help.
In a pivot table you can only sort on the column fields (data).
The "Article No" is a text field in the Row fields (i.e. the grouping = left
side)

Thanks anyway, any other ideas... ?

PS: By the way, my data source is an other excel file... I guess sorting is
awailable
-----------------------
"Peter Aitken" a écrit :

> > How can I ensure that within each "big group", each "ABC", all "Article
> > No"
> > will be sorted alphabetically ???
>
> Select Ascending as the sort option for that field.
>

Sure you can - in Excel 2003 anyway. Right-click the field button and select
Field settings from the popup menu, then click the Advanced button. You'll
see

--
Peter Aitken

Remove the crap from my email address before using.
"pgchop" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Thanks Peter but it does not help.
> In a pivot table you can only sort on the column fields (data).
> The "Article No" is a text field in the Row fields (i.e. the grouping =
> left
> side)
>
> Thanks anyway, any other ideas... ?
>
> PS: By the way, my data source is an other excel file... I guess sorting
> is
> awailable
> -----------------------
> "Peter Aitken" a écrit :
>
>> > How can I ensure that within each "big group", each "ABC", all "Article
>> > No"
>> > will be sorted alphabetically ???
>>
>> Select Ascending as the sort option for that field.
>>
>