Sorting when some numbers have a text suffix

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

I have about 1350 5 and 6 digit numbers starting in column B2 that I would
like to be sorted. About 200 of the numbers have "A" at the end along with a
coulpe that have "B", "C", "D", and "E" . All the numbers with a letter are
six digits long if that helps i.e. 123456A. Now when I sort the numbers sort
fine but all the numbers with a letter attached are at the bottom of the
list, presumably as text. How can get the numbers and text"numbers" to sort
together?
 
One way would be to break off the letters using data > Text-to-columns >
Fixed, and put them in the next column, then sort using your regular column
as the first sort-key and this new column as your second
sort-key............then you could Concatenate them back together if you
wish......

Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3
 
Try the following...

C2, copied down:

=IF(D2="",B2,--SUBSTITUTE(B2,D2,""))

D2, copied down:

=IF(ISNUMBER(--B2),"",RIGHT(B2))

Then select Columns B, C and D, and sort by Column C and D...

Data > Sort > Sort by "Column C" > Then by "Column D"

Hope this helps!
 
Hi

Create an helper column with formula in it (an example for row a2 below):
="" & B2
and sort your data on this helper column.


Arvi Laanemets
 
Domenic said:
Try the following...

C2, copied down:

=IF(D2="",B2,--SUBSTITUTE(B2,D2,""))
Click to expand...

This populated column C with values from B until it got to the numbers with
the letter suffix and put #value with the little triangle in the upperleft
corner.

D2, copied down:
=IF(ISNUMBER(--B2),"",RIGHT(B2))
Click to expand...

When I do this no numbers show up in the any of the cells but the formula is
in the Fx box on the tool bar for all the cells.
Then select Columns B, C and D, and sort by Column C and D...

Data > Sort > Sort by "Column C" > Then by "Column D"
Click to expand...

When I sort it stays the same as before with the number with suffixes on the
bottom.


What am I doing wrong?
 
That got it! Thanks. I just have to remenber to keep the two pre concatenate
columns there so I can resort after changes and sort by other columns.
 
Back
Top