Sort Room Numbers that include Alphabetes

[Guest]

How do I sort room numbers that include alphabetes.

I know that sorting room numbers is pretty easy just highlight the whole
spreadsheet (control a). Sort with header row checked and proceed to scroll
down to room numbers.

The problems when you add alphabetes. The computer sees alphabetes as
distinct characters. like 209B 209 A 209C.

It is pretty simple to say 209, 210 211.

What do I do.

 

[Dave Peterson]

You can enter all your room numbers as text by:

Preformatting the range as text (format|cells|number tab|Text)
or by starting the entry with an apostrophe '123A

And make sure all the room numbers have the same format.

Room 1A is entered as: '001A
Room 209B is entered as: '209B

Or....

You can put the numeric portion in one column and the alphabetic in a second
column. Then sort the data by both keys (via the data|sort dialog)