If you have a Reference field on a form and you use a choice list under "Choice", you cannot sort using the attribute ref_ac_order_by on the dictionary entry. It always sorts alphabetically regardless of any dictionary attributes.

1. Create new table named toys with the fields Name and Order.
   Ensure that you name the column order and not u_order or the dictionary attribute will have to be adjusted.
2. Insert some names and orders that are not in line with their alphabetical sorting.
   See attached screenshot as an example. 
3. Go to incident.do.
4. Personalize the dictionary by adding a new one with the following attributes:
   • Table: incident
   • type: Reference
   • Column Label: toys
   • Column name: u_toys
   • Display: true
   • Reference: toys
   • Choice: Dropdown with -- None --
     
   • attributes: ref_ac_order_by=u_order
5. Go to incident.do.
6. Click toys dropdown.
   The sort is alphabetically no matter what you do to the order.

Use the attribute [ref_sequence] instead of [ref_ac_order_by].

Replace:

ref_ac_order_by=u_order

With:

ref_sequence=u_order