Alternate Sort - Month

Question

Hi All,
We set up the following Alternate sort custom folder:
Select to_date(MONTH_OF_YEAR,'MON'), ALTERNATE_SORT
FROM
select 'December' MONTH_OF_YEAR , 1 ALTERNATE_SORT from dual union
select 'January' MONTH_OF_YEAR , 2 ALTERNATE_SORT from dual union
select 'February' MONTH_OF_YEAR , 3 ALTERNATE_SORT from dual union
select 'March' MONTH_OF_YEAR , 4 ALTERNATE_SORT from dual union
select 'April' MONTH_OF_YEAR , 5 ALTERNATE_SORT from dual union
select 'May' MONTH_OF_YEAR , 6 ALTERNATE_SORT from dual union
select 'June' MONTH_OF_YEAR , 7 ALTERNATE_SORT from dual union
select 'July' MONTH_OF_YEAR , 8 ALTERNATE_SORT from dual union
select 'August' MONTH_OF_YEAR , 9 ALTERNATE_SORT from dual union
select 'September' MONTH_OF_YEAR , 10 ALTERNATE_SORT from dual union
select 'October' MONTH_OF_YEAR , 11 ALTERNATE_SORT from dual union
select 'November' MONTH_OF_YEAR , 12 ALTERNATE_SORT from dual
The problem is that when we join this to the Auto Month Item in the folder that its not sorting correctly.
Should we be using a different Mask for date conversion?
Thank You,
-Gus

Answer 1

Hi Gus
An alternate sort only works with a list of values when the alternate item is available within the original data set, you cannot use an alternate sort on a data column using an item in a different folder. The LOV will sort but not the data items themself.
To get around this, what you need to do is to create a new calculated item in your report, using a DECODE on the month, and create new values that can be sorted.
For example, here is a workflow that will create a new sort item for your first 3 months, December, January and February:
1. Create a new calulated item NEW_MONTH
2. Use this code inside the calculation:
DECODE(Month, 'December', '1. December', 'January', 2. January', 'February', 3. February', Month)
3. Place a sort on the NEW_MONTH item
By prefixing the month names with a number, we can now use a natural sort to place the months in their correct order.
Does this help?
Regards
Michael