Sorting numbers with differing numbers of digits

[Trudy]

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.

[Sloth]

Look in the help under "Default sort orders" 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.

"Trudy" wrote:

> 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.

[Trudy]

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.

"Sloth" wrote:

> Look in the help under "Default sort orders" 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.
>
> "Trudy" wrote:
>
> > 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.

[Sloth]

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("-",A1)-1),"0000")&"-"&TEXT(RIGHT(A1,LEN(A1)-FIND("-",A1)),"0000")

"Trudy" wrote:

> 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.
>
> "Sloth" wrote:
>
> > Look in the help under "Default sort orders" 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.
> >
> > "Trudy" wrote:
> >
> > > 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.

[Jim Cone]

Trudy,
A commercial application by yours truly...
http://www.officeletter.com/blink/specialsort.html
Jim Cone
San Francisco, USA

[Ron Rosenfeld]

On Wed, 1 Mar 2006 14:59:28 -0800, "Trudy" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>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.

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,"-","")

Copy/Drag down to Bn.

Select B1:Bn

Format/Cells/Number/Custom
Type: [>1000000]"ABC-D "0000-0000;"ABC-D "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