Sorting items that include special characters or numerals requires attention to how your chosen software interprets these elements. In Word, numbers and special characters typically come before letters in the sorting order, and numbers are sorted based on the first digit rather than the whole number. If this default behavior doesn't suit your needs, consider temporarily replacing special characters or leading numerals with spelled-out numbers or equivalent words, sort the list, and then revert the changes. This workaround can help achieve the desired order without permanently altering your data.