excel 2003 sort a portion of a column 1

[mscallisto]

my banking data looks like this:

Date________Description____________
12/01/2013 | Check: 1223 Dr Jones
12/03/2013 | Check: 1224 Dr Allen

To sort the description column by doctor I've always made a helper column e.g. =MID(B1,12,20) then sorted by the helper column.

I don't believe I can do this without the helper column but thought I would ask anyway.

Thanks in advance

Sam

 

[SkipVought]

You are correct!

Skip,

_{Just traded in my OLD subtlety...
for a NUance!}

 

[mscallisto]

Thanks Skip

That's what I thought

It would have been nice when setting up a sort to choose a column PLUS if you wanted to, enter an offset (start and length) of that column.

Sam

 

[SkipVought]

Your example is particular, and not characteristic of a typical case like first name last name and all sorts of variations on that theme.

Skip,

_{Just traded in my OLD subtlety...
for a NUance!}