Natural Sorting in Access for Mixed Alphanumeric Lists

In this Microsoft Access tutorial, I will show you how to perform natural sorting for mixed alphanumeric lists to sort numerically first and then by letters, using a calculated query field and the Val function. This will help you sort unit numbers such as 1a, 1d, 2f, 100a, and more correctly in your database.

Clara from Bowie, Maryland (a Platinum Member) asks: I receive lists of unit numbers that contain both numbers and letters, such as 1a, 1d, 2f, 5, 7, 101d, etc. When I sort them in my database, the numbers are sorted alphanumerically, so 100 ends up before 2. How can I sort them numerically first and then by the letters?

Error

• Yes, I'm aware there is an error in my slide around time index 3:38. Periods are included in what the Val function calculates as a number. Brain fart on my part. 

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Prerequisites

• Calculated Fields

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Keywords

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