Create a list of all possible values something like this...

Q1 - 09
Q2 - 09
Q3 - 09
Q4 - 09
Q1 - 10
Q2 - 10
Q3 - 10
Q4 - 10
Q1 - 11
Q2 - 11
Q3 - 11
Q4 - 11

Now Select Tools - Options |Custom Lists and there is an option to import
these values as a list. Once you have that cusotm list you can sort based on
it's order.

Select the range to be sorted. Select Data - Sort - Options | Change from
normal to your custom list.
--
HTH...

Jim Thomlinson


"Dr. Darrell" wrote:

I have a column which was filled in with text:

Q3-09
Q4-10
Q1-11
Q2-09

Where the Text means:

3rd Quarter 2009
4th Quarter 2010
1st Quarter 2011
2nd Quarter 2009

I would like to sort in ascending order:

Q2-09
Q3-09
Q4-10
Q1-11

Is there an easy way to sort this column, (there are several thousand
entries).

Darrell