Grouping in a Query? Kind of an Odd Sort Problem

[simulationguy]

I have a table with names and a linked table with start and end dates for activities
They want a report (which I am exporting to excel) listed by the earliest end date for an activity. I can create a query that lists names alphabetical and then all of the activities for that person by earliest end date. But they also want the list not in alphabetical order but in order of the earliest end date of all activies for that person.
There are multiple activity records and therefore multiple enddates for each person

Example Anderson End Dates 2/15/10, 3/12/10, 1/14/10
Frank End Dates 2/10/20
Jones End Dates 1/12/10, 4/15/10

Creates List

Jones
1/12/10
4/15/10

Anderson
1/14/10
2/15/10
3/12/10

Frank
2/10/20

I'm not sure how to get the names in order of the earliest start in their list of activities.

[Delerna]

Not sure I understand you correctly ... but
You could prepend the persons name with the min([End Date])

select min([End Date]) & Name as Nme,[End Date]
From theTable
Join theOherTable join conditions
group by Name,[End Date]
order by Nme
 

or perhaps more simply

select min([End Date]) as Dte, Name,[End Date]
From theTable
Join theOherTable join conditions
group by Name,[End Date]
order by Dte,Nme