Excel 2003

I am working on a spreadsheet at work and would like to be able to change
the sorting order easily. There are two columns I'd like to switch around.

Column 1 is a list of part designators. They can begin with 1W, 2W, or 3W
and are followed by up to a 3 digit number. When I try to sort now, it puts
1W10 before 1W2. I *cannot* change the designator to 1W002. Is there a way
to format that column so that it will yield 1W2 before 1W10 (followed by
2Wnnn and 3Wnnn).

Column 2 are part numbers that are based on part drawing numbers. The
drawing numbers are generally an 8-digit number, however (you saw this one
coming, didn't you?), some of the part numbers are followed with a dash and
a number. For example, I may have part numbers 12345678, 12345679, 12234567,
12234567-1. I would like to be able to sort this column so that it looked at
all of the characters as a group. Right now it puts any number with a dash
at the end of the column.

For now I have it sorted manually but it's a pain in the butt because
sometimes I have a part number and sometimes I have a designator number.
Yes, I know I can use the "Find" feature but I like sorting. I actually have
two worksheets going so if I change one, I need to change the other.

Is there help for me or is this one of those things that I need to learn to
live with?


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JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]