Chapter 11. Sorting and Grouping Data

When you first create a report and preview the data, the report displays the data in the order in which the data source returns it. The order varies based on how data was entered in the data source and how you joined tables in the query.

In most cases, you will want to change the order in which data appears in a report. A customer phone list, for example, is easier to use if it is in alphabetical order. A sales report is more useful if it presents sales figures from highest to lowest, or the reverse, depending on whether the focus is on top or low performers.

Compare the reports shown in Figure 11-1.

Figure 11-1. Reports showing unsorted and sorted data

The report on the left displays customer names in the ...

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