Specified Order - Formula?

[dbaJSmith]

Using CR XI.

I'm working on a report that emulates a crosstab (the crosstab cannot perform the calculations I need, so I'm using a three-formula trick to get my numbers). Right now, the group is sorted in original order. I'm 100% sure that I can't sort the rows by the three-formula trick values, since it runs while printing records. However, I'd like to try sorting by specified order using a formula to set the values.

So the main question is, can you perform a specified order sort using a formula? Thanks!

 

[lbass]

Let's say your group field contains instances: "A", "B", "C", and you want them displayed in this order: C, A, B. Create a formula like this:

select {table.groupfield}
case "A" : 2
case "B" : 3
case "C" : 1

Insert a group on this formula and choose options->customize group name->use a field: {table.groupfield}.

-LB