Grouping via Date column (ascending/descending). Want MMM YYYY format?

[addled]

Hi I have a view which is grouped by a ‘MONTH’ column.

Want it ordered according to the date (month) visible in a MMM YYYY format.
The closest i’m getting is by using the ‘long date format’ and getting values like ‘1 Sep 2021’, ‘1 Nov 2021’ etc as the grouping headers, for example.
Need just ‘Sep 2021’ or ‘September 2021’ etc

Is this possible?

Using a virtual column with a Text([MONTH],“MMM YYYY”) app formula, to group, orders the column data alphabetically which is not desirable.
TIA
Best,
Adi

[Aurelien]

Hi @addled

As far as I know, this is not possible yet.
The solution you describe with a virtual column is the best you can use.
Alothough I would use TEXT([MONTH],“YYYY MMM”) for grouping, and set the order_by option with another virtual column TEXT([MONTH],“YYYY MM”), so that it won’t be sorted alphabetically but numerically.

However, as an effort has been made continuously into dealing with dates and locale, you may want to create a feature request in order to make it more direct.

[addled]

Hi Aurelien,
Thank you for your prompt reply (and apologise for my late one).

Aurelien:

However, as an effort has been made continuously into dealing with dates and locale, you may want to create a feature request in order to make it more direct.

I’ll do that . Thanks

Aurelien:

Alothough I would use TEXT([MONTH],“YYYY MMM”) for grouping, and set the order_by option with another virtual column TEXT([MONTH],“YYYY MM”) , so that it won’t be sorted alphabetically but numerically

Where is the order_by option?
My ViewType is a table
i am just presented by descending/ascending as Grouping order options.
If you mean the Sort_by option, unfortunately, my table seems to give the Group_by (ascending/descending) order a preference and ignores my Sort_by setting

Am i missing something? TIA
ps attaching a screenshot illustrating the various options i have available!

Screenshot Appsheet thread|690x447

[Aurelien]

Hi @addled

Yep sorry, I said a mistake. It is “sorted by”, not “order by”. You got it, fortunately.

addled:

my table seems to give the Group_by (ascending/descending) order a preference and ignores my Sort_by setting

You are right, I forgot the Group_by had a sorting option associated.
The two sorting options can be combined, but the grouping will take the lead over the sorting.
So that the sorting will be applied inside each group.

I guess your only option is to deal with one of your previous expressions.
I assume this can make a convenient option:

with its expression:
TEXT([Start_DateTime],"YYYY MM (MMM) ")