Forum Discussion

Copper Contributor

Apr 20, 2020

Sorting Alpha-Numeric String Fields Numerically?

Hi, In Sharepoint my file names are string types that contain both letters and numbers. How do I get the files to sort numerically (i.e. 1, 5, 13, 20) as opposed to sorting it like text (i.e. 1, 13,...

SharePoint Online

LTJ88

Copper Contributor

Oct 21, 2022

I have the same issue

SvenSieverding

Bronze Contributor

Oct 21, 2022

You could create a new number column "SortOrder" and a Flow that sets the value of the "SortOrder" column to the number part of your filename...
Then sort by that column

LTJ88
Copper Contributor
Oct 21, 2022
SvenSieverding Thank you. this solution was brought forth several times but in document control most of the time the unique document code will be put in file name as well and this is how we sometimes deliver the set of document packages. I'm looking for solution that require less work on my side since the correct sorting is already there on the file name.
- RobElliott
  Silver Contributor
  Oct 21, 2022
  LTJ88 Since it was released over 20 years ago, sharePoint has always sorted sorted left to right for single line of text columns. Other than the workarounds previously suggested there is no way to get it to sort in the way you want. So you will always get a result like this:
  
  ABC2
  ABC20
  ABC21
  ABC22
  ABC3
  
  Rob
  Los Gallardos
  Intranet, SharePoint and Power Platform Manager (and classic 1967 Morris Traveller driver)