# Alphabetizing in Access Report

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alphabetizing-in-access-report/408872>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 21, 2007, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alphabetizing-in-access-report/408872 "2007-06-21T16:53:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Shryn\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@Shryn\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shryn_King)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alphabetizing-in-access-report/408872/1 "2007-06-21T16:53:21Z")

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Windows XP Professional- Service Pack 2

I am using a database that I created in Access (2003).

I am trying to get a report to print out in alphabetical order by last name. My report is pulling the data from a query. The query is a combination of two tables. The query view shows the information in alphabetical order by last name, which is a good thing since I have it set up to sort in ascending order by “last name”.

My report doesn’t use the “last name” field in it. I tried to put it in as an invisible field but, it didn’t help.

There has got to be some way to get this report to print out in order by last name.

Any ideas?

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alphabetizing-in-access-report/408872/2 "2007-06-21T17:14:17Z")

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AFAIK, reports usually print in the order their original query or table uses. So if the query is sorted by last name, the report should be sorted by last name.

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**Author:** ![Shryn\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@Shryn\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shryn_King)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alphabetizing-in-access-report/408872/3 "2007-06-21T17:25:38Z")

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[QUOTE=RealityChuck]  
AFAIK, reports usually print in the order their original query or table uses. So if the query is sorted by last name, the report should be sorted by last name.  
[/QUOTE]

That’s what I thought! That’s why this is extremely frustrating!

Thanks for replying.

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**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alphabetizing-in-access-report/408872/4 "2007-06-21T17:54:34Z")

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In Access, if you are in “GUI mode” when you are creating the query, there’s a checkbox that says “display the column”. Just uncheck the checkbox for last name. Or is there something here I’m not understanding.

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**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alphabetizing-in-access-report/408872/5 "2007-06-21T18:02:47Z")

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In Report Design, click View and select Sorting and Grouping. You should be able to save a sort order on any field, hidden or not, in the report.

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**Author:** ![Shryn\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@Shryn\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shryn_King)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alphabetizing-in-access-report/408872/6 "2007-06-21T18:18:37Z")

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[QUOTE=SCSimmons]  
In Report Design, click View and select Sorting and Grouping. You should be able to save a sort order on any field, hidden or not, in the report.  
[/QUOTE]

That did it! You are my hero!