I want to select a date from oracle table formatted like select (to_char(req_date,'MM/YYYY')) but I also want to order the result set on this date format. I want them to be ordered like dates not strings. Like this 09/2009 10/2009 11/2009 12/2009 01/2010 02/2010 03/2010 04/2010 05/2010 06/2010 07/2010 08/2010 09/2010 10/2010 11/2010 12/2010 Not like 01/2010 02/2010 03/2010 04/2010 05/2010 06/2010 07/2010 08/2010 09/2009 09/2010 10/2009 10/2010 11/2009 11/2010 12/2009 12/2010 Any way to do this in sql? full sql is select (to_char(req_date,'MM/YYYY')) as monthYear,count(req_id) as count from REQUISITION_CURRENT t group by to_char(req_date,'MM/YYYY') Thanks