Hello and thanks for the input to all my reporting & Generic Inquiry people!

I'm attempting to create a hierarchical sorting structure for a Report Designer Report. I'm following documentation but can't seem to get the data to sort in the intended order.

The goal is to sort the Item list by the first 3 numeric values within a 3-segment Item Class code.

I can return the value I want in a separate text field: 

Left((InventoryItem.ItemClassID],3) 

But I can’t seem to sort on it.

As an example, here are a few item classes in their intended sort order:

1. 210FENCE  100BARB   100SHEFF

2. 210FENCE  100BARB   200OKSW   (note the first 3 digits of the third segment are 200 (for 200OKSW ) , so this would come after 100SHEFF)

3. 210FENCE  100BARB   400BEKHRT 

4. 215LVSTOCK100GATES  200METRO  (note the first 3 digits are 215, so this would come after 210FENCE)

5. 215LVSTOCK100GATES  200METRO  

6. 230GARDN  100GDNSPLY   (note the first 3 digits are 230, so this would come after  215LVSTOCK)

The thing that is not working correctly is the overall report sort order. It is not responding to the formula I have established.

In the schema builder, I navigate to Sorting and Grouping, and am attempting to sort by the Data Field : Left( InventoryItem.ItemClassID],3)  Ascending.

I suspect that I am not correctly sorting the ENTIRE report by these values. 

As a secondary concern, I also want to be able to return the first 3 values of the second segment, and secondarily sort by those. 

Thanks for any ideas about this first sorting quandary and what may need to change.