>>Maybe this really isn't an answer to the question but if I was given this data the first thing I'd do is create a "shadow" field to hold some algorithmically transformed version of this mess to put it a a logically indexable form. No?
>
>No. (no offense meant) - That's a good idea in theory, but I need something I can publish to a wide audience in strict hardcopy, especially geared toward Access users that aren't very advanced. Just a command line for indexing, basically, that even a novice could use easily.

Hi Bruce,

I maybe mistaken but I don't think that Access supports expressions in index key.