On your main query, afraid I'm not able to offer a solution to get it sorted
in exactly the manner you illustrated below. But if you'd accept an
alternative "close-fit" sort where "numbers" would appear in ascending sort
order above the lines with {a}'s, viz.:

Col E -- In col K
1. a 1
2. 2 2
3. a a
4. a a
5. 5 a

then we could use this criteria instead in F6, with F6 copied down:
=IF(E6="","",IF(E6="{a}",ROW()+10^10,C6+ROW()/10^10))

(no change to the formulas in cols G to K)

As for your linked numbering query:

.. The second formula works perfectly when I apply as in your example,
but for some reason when I apply to my spreadsheet
returns wrong values....

If it's not working in Sheet2, check that all the numbers used in Sheet1's
numbering (the first sheet) are real numbers, not text numbers. Text
numbers, if any, would be ignored by MAX(..).
--
Max
Singapore
http://savefile.com/projects/236895
xdemechanik
---
"Lisa" wrote in message
...
Hi Max,

Thank you for the prompt response. I think I wasn't clear enough. On
column
E I do want to show (a) below scope, but I wanted the above scope items to
be
in sequencial order:for example
Current Sit Desired
Col E Col E
1. a a
2. 2 1
3. a a
4. a a
5. 5 2

The second formula works prefectly when I apply as in your example, but
for
some reason when I apply to my spreadsheet returns wrong values....

I would like to thank you once again for taking time to assist me...