Indexes / List Sorting

The purpose of an index is to sort data into a specific order or to remove duplicates from a list. By default, a list is ordered by record number — the order in which records were added to the list. When you create an index, you indicate which fields you want to use to sort the list, such as Last Name or ZIP Code.

An index is required when performing each of these functions:

Analyzing Duplicate Records
Finding Text Using and Index
Sorting Records

More than one field can be used in an index. This is useful for more specific sorts or to compare records on the basis of more than one field. For example, the order of the following records depends on the index used:

Original (Record number order):
Last Name	First Name	Record Number
Smith	John	1
Ryan	B.J.	2
Smith	Paul	3
Thomas	Steven	4
Smith	Anna	5
Order using a Last Name index to sort:
Last Name	First Name	Record Number
Ryan	B. J.	2
Smith	John	1
Smith	Paul	3
Smith	Anna	5
Thomas	Steven	4
Order using a Last Name index + First Name Index to sort:
Last Name	First Name	Record Number
Ryan	B. J.	2
Smith	Anna	5
Smith	John	1
Smith	Paul	3
Thomas	Steven	4

When the data is sorted by Last Name only, the Smiths are still grouped together, but by record number order. Since the data in the last group was sorted according to Last Name and First Name, all people having the same last name are further sorted by first name.