diff --git a/autocomplete_widgets.admin.inc b/autocomplete_widgets.admin.inc
index 23af9ce..a5488d9 100755
--- a/autocomplete_widgets.admin.inc
+++ b/autocomplete_widgets.admin.inc
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ function _autocomplete_widgets_field_widget_settings_form($field, $instance) {
     $settings['suggested_values'] = !isset($settings['suggested_values']) ? '' : $settings['suggested_values'];
     $form['suggested_values'] = array(
       '#type' => 'textarea',
-      '#title' => t('Suggeset values list'),
+      '#title' => t('Suggested values list'),
       '#default_value' => $settings['suggested_values'],
       '#rows' => 10,
       '#description' => t('Autocomplete requests will only respond with suggestions from this list. If a user enters a value not on this list, it will <em>not</em> be added to the autocomplete options in the future. Enter one suggestion per line.'),
@@ -113,6 +113,18 @@ function _autocomplete_widgets_field_widget_settings_form($field, $instance) {
     );
   }
 
-  return $form;
+  $settings['order'] = !isset($settings['order']) ? 'ASC' : $settings['order'];
+  $form['order'] = array(
+    '#type' => 'select',
+    '#title' => t('Order'),
+    '#options' => array(
+      'ASC' => t('A to Z'),
+      'DESC' => t('Z to A'),
+    ),
+    '#empty_option' => t('Don\'t Sort'),
+    '#default_value' => $settings['order'],
+    '#description' => t('Choose in which order should autocomplete suggestions be displayed.'),
+  );
 
+  return $form;
 }
diff --git a/autocomplete_widgets.common.inc b/autocomplete_widgets.common.inc
index ebe246d..0008ace 100755
--- a/autocomplete_widgets.common.inc
+++ b/autocomplete_widgets.common.inc
@@ -8,12 +8,12 @@
 /**
  * Fetch an array of options for the given widget.
  *
- * @param $field
- *   The field description.
+ * @param $instance
+ *   A structured array describing the field instance.
  * @param $string
  *   Optional string to filter values on (used by autocomplete).
  * @param $match
- *   Operator to match filtered name against, can be any of:
+ *   Operator to match filtered name against. Can be any of:
  *   'contains', 'equals', 'starts_with'
  * @param $keys
  *   Optional keys to lookup (the $string and $match arguments will be
@@ -28,30 +28,31 @@
  *     ...
  *   )
  */
-function _autocomplete_widgets_get_options($field, $string = '', $match = 'contains', $keys = NULL, $limit = NULL) {
+function _autocomplete_widgets_get_options($instance, $string = '', $match = 'contains', $keys = NULL, $limit = NULL) {
   static $results = array();
 
   // Create unique id for static cache.
   if (!isset($keys) || !is_array($keys)) {
     $keys = array();
   }
-  $cid = $field['field_name'] .':'. $match .':'. ($string !== '' ? $string : implode('-', $keys)) .':'. $limit;
+  $cid = $instance['field_name'] .':'. $match .':'. ($string !== '' ? $string : implode('-', $keys)) . ':' . $limit;
 
   if (!isset($results[$cid])) {
-    if ($field['widget']['type'] == 'autocomplete_widgets_allowvals') {
-      $results[$cid] = _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_allowvals($field, $string, $match, $keys, $limit);
-    }
-    else if ($field['widget']['type'] == 'autocomplete_widgets_flddata') {
-      $results[$cid] = _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_flddata($field, $string, $match, $keys, $limit);
-    }
-    else if ($field['widget']['type'] == 'autocomplete_widgets_suggested') {
-      $results[$cid] = _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_suggested($field, $string, $match, $keys, $limit);
-    }
-    else if ($field['widget']['type'] == 'autocomplete_widgets_node_reference') {
-      $results[$cid] = _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_node_reference($field, $string, $match, $keys, $limit);
-    }
-    else {
-      $results[$cid] = array();
+    switch ($instance['widget']['type']) {
+      case 'autocomplete_widgets_allowvals':
+        $results[$cid] = _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_allowvals($instance, $string, $match, $keys, $limit);
+        break;
+      case 'autocomplete_widgets_flddata':
+        $results[$cid] = _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_flddata($instance, $string, $match, $keys, $limit);
+        break;
+      case 'autocomplete_widgets_suggested':
+        $results[$cid] = _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_suggested($instance, $string, $match, $keys, $limit);
+        break;
+      case 'autocomplete_widgets_node_reference':
+        $results[$cid] = _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_node_reference($instance, $string, $match, $keys, $limit);
+        break;
+      default:
+        $results[$cid] = array();
     }
   }
 
@@ -63,15 +64,13 @@ function _autocomplete_widgets_get_options($field, $string = '', $match = 'conta
  *
  * Options are retrieved from the allowed values defined for the field.
  */
-function _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_allowvals($field, $string = '', $match = 'contains', $keys = NULL, $limit = NULL) {
-
-  $field_name = $field['field_name'];
-  $allowed_values = list_allowed_values(field_info_field($field_name));
+function _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_allowvals($instance, $string = '', $match = 'contains', $keys = NULL, $limit = NULL) {
+  $allowed_values = list_allowed_values(field_info_field($instance['field_name']));
   $limit = (!isset($limit) || !is_numeric($limit)) ? count($allowed_values) : $limit;
-  $case_sensitive = $field['widget']['settings']['autocomplete_case'];
-  $filter_xss = !empty($field['widget']['settings']['autocomplete_xss']);
+  $case_sensitive = $instance['widget']['settings']['autocomplete_case'];
+  $filter_xss = !empty($instance['widget']['settings']['autocomplete_xss']);
   $options = array();
-  $count = 0;
+  $count = 0; //@todo: cant the count var be replaced with a call to count()?
 
   foreach ($allowed_values as $key => $value) {
     if ($filter_xss) {
@@ -107,6 +106,9 @@ function _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_allowvals($field, $string = '', $matc
       break;
     }
   }
+
+  _autocomplete_widgets_sort_options($options, $instance);
+
   return $options;
 }
 
@@ -115,22 +117,24 @@ function _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_allowvals($field, $string = '', $matc
  *
  * Options are retrieved from existing values for the field.
  */
-function _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_flddata($field, $string = '', $match = 'contains', $keys = NULL, $limit = NULL) {
-  $field_name = $field['field_name'];
-  $table = 'field_data_' . $field_name;
-  $column = $field_name . '_value';
+function _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_flddata($instance, $string = '', $match = 'contains', $keys = NULL, $limit = NULL) {
+  $table = 'field_data_' . $instance['field_name'];
+  $column = $instance['field_name'] . '_value';
+  $order = isset($instance['widget']['settings']['order']) ? $instance['widget']['settings']['order'] : '';
 
   $select = db_select($table, 'fd');
   $select->addField('fd', $column);
 
-  if (!empty($field['widget']['i18n_flddata'])) {
+  if (!empty($instance['widget']['i18n_flddata'])) {
     // Adding a join with the node table allows the i18n rewrite the query
     // to filter values from node for the proper language.
     $select->join('node', 'n', 'vid = n.vid');
   }
 
   if ($string !== '') {
-    $case_sensitive = empty($field['widget']['autocomplete_case']);
+    //@todo: there is no need to check case sensitivty of $column.
+    $case_sensitive = empty($instance['widget']['autocomplete_case']);
+
     $col = $case_sensitive ? $column : strtolower($column);
     $val = $case_sensitive ? $string : strtolower($string);
 
@@ -153,6 +157,9 @@ function _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_flddata($field, $string = '', $match
   if (!empty($limit)) {
     $select->range(0, $limit);
   }
+  if (!empty($order)) {
+    $select->orderBy($order);
+  }
   $select->distinct();
   $rows = $select->execute()->fetchAll(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);
 
@@ -168,10 +175,10 @@ function _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_flddata($field, $string = '', $match
  *
  * Options are retrieved from the suggested values defined for the field.
  */
-function _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_suggested($field, $string = '', $match = 'contains', $keys = NULL, $limit = NULL) {
-  $case_sensitive = empty($field['widget']['autocomplete_case']);
+function _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_suggested($instance, $string = '', $match = 'contains', $keys = NULL, $limit = NULL) {
+  $case_sensitive = empty($instance['widget']['autocomplete_case']);
 
-  $options = explode("\n", $field['widget']['settings']['suggested_values']);
+  $options = explode("\n", $instance['widget']['settings']['suggested_values']);
   $options = array_map('trim', $options);
   $options = array_filter($options, 'strlen');
 
@@ -200,9 +207,10 @@ function _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_suggested($field, $string = '', $matc
         $options = array($string);
       }
       break;
-
   }
 
+  _autocomplete_widgets_sort_options($options, $instance);
+
   return $options;
 }
 
@@ -211,20 +219,25 @@ function _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_suggested($field, $string = '', $matc
  *
  * Options are retrieved from the titles of the allowed node types.
  */
-function _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_node_reference($field, $string = '', $match = 'contains', $keys = NULL, $limit = NULL) {
-  $field_name = $field['field_name'];
-  $table = 'field_data_' . $field_name;
-  $column = $field_name . '_value';
+function _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_node_reference($instance, $string = '', $match = 'contains', $keys = NULL, $limit = NULL) {
+  $table = 'field_data_' . $instance['field_name'];
+  $column = $instance['field_name'] . '_value';
   $options = array();
+  $order = isset($instance['widget']['settings']['order']) ? $instance['widget']['settings']['order'] : '';
 
   $field_query = db_select($table, 'fd')
     ->fields('fd', array($column));
 
   $node_title_query = db_select('node', 'n')
     ->fields('n', array('title'))
-    ->condition('n.type', $field['widget']['settings']['allowed_node_types'], 'IN')
+    ->condition('n.type', $instance['widget']['settings']['allowed_node_types'], 'IN')
     ->addTag('node_access');
 
+  if (!empty($order)) {
+    $field_query->orderBy($order);
+    $node_title_query->orderBy($order);
+  }
+
   if ($string !== '') {
     switch ($match) {
       case 'starts_with':
@@ -237,6 +250,7 @@ function _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_node_reference($field, $string = '',
         $node_title_query->condition('n.title', '%' . $string . '%', 'LIKE');
         break;
     }
+    //@todo: can these fetch all's be replaced with fetchAssoc?
     $rows = $node_title_query->execute()->fetchAll(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);
     foreach($rows as $row) {
       $options[$row['title']] = $row['title'];
@@ -246,6 +260,39 @@ function _autocomplete_widgets_get_options_node_reference($field, $string = '',
       $options[$row[$column]] = $row[$column];
     }
   }
-  sort($options);
+
   return $options;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Validate a list autocomplete element.
+ */
+function _autocomplete_widgets_validate_allowvals($element, &$form_state) {
+  $instance = field_widget_instance($element, $form_state);
+  if ($instance['widget']['type'] == 'autocomplete_widgets_allowvals') {
+    $label = $element['#value'];
+    if ($label !== '') {
+      module_load_include('inc', 'autocomplete_widgets', 'autocomplete_widgets.common');
+      $options = _autocomplete_widgets_get_options($instance, $label, 'equals', NULL, 1);
+      if (empty($options)) {
+        form_error($element, t('%name: %label is not a valid option for this field.', array('%name' => $instance['label'], '%label' => $label)));
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Sort an array of options fo the given field instance.
+ */
+function _autocomplete_widgets_sort_options(&$options, $instance) {
+  if (isset($instance['widget']['settings']['order'])) {
+    switch ($instance['widget']['settings']['order']) {
+      case 'ASC':
+        sort($options);
+        break;
+      case 'DESC':
+        rsort($options);
+        break;
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/autocomplete_widgets.module b/autocomplete_widgets.module
index 5ffdad9..0b4c6b9 100755
--- a/autocomplete_widgets.module
+++ b/autocomplete_widgets.module
@@ -28,17 +28,51 @@ function autocomplete_widgets_menu() {
    );
  }
 
+// /**
+//  * Implementation of hook_views_api().
+//  */
+// function autocomplete_widgets_views_api() {
+//   return array(
+//     'api' => 3.0,
+//     'path' => drupal_get_path('module', 'autocomplete_widgets') . '/views',
+//   );
+// }
+
 /**
- * Implementation of hook_views_api().
+ * Implementation of hook_element_info().
+ *
+ * Autocomplete_path is not used by text_widget but other widgets can use it.
  */
-function autocomplete_widgets_views_api() {
+function autocomplete_widgets_element_info() {
   return array(
-    'api' => 3.0,
-    'path' => drupal_get_path('module', 'autocomplete_widgets') . '/views',
+    'autocomplete_widgets' => array(
+      '#input' => TRUE,
+      '#columns' => array('value'), '#delta' => 0,
+      '#process' => array('autocomplete_widgets_element_process'),
+      '#autocomplete_path' => FALSE,
+    ),
   );
 }
 
 /**
+ * Process an individual textfield autocomplete element.
+ */
+function autocomplete_widgets_element_process($element, &$form_state, $form) {
+  $instance = field_widget_instance($element, $form_state);
+
+  if ($instance['widget']['type'] == 'autocomplete_widgets_allowvals') {
+    module_load_include('inc', 'autocomplete_widgets', 'autocomplete_widgets.common');
+
+    $label = drupal_array_get_nested_value($form_state['values'], $element['#parents'], $exists);
+    $options = _autocomplete_widgets_get_options($instance, $label, 'equals', NULL, 1);
+    if ($options) {
+      drupal_array_set_nested_value($form_state['values'], $element['#parents'], key($options));
+    }
+  }
+  return $element;
+}
+
+/**
  * Implementation of hook_field_widget_info().
  */
 function autocomplete_widgets_field_widget_info() {
@@ -83,31 +117,6 @@ function autocomplete_widgets_field_widget_info() {
 }
 
 /**
- * Implementation of hook_element_info().
- *
- * Autocomplete_path is not used by text_widget but other widgets can use it
- * (see nodereference and userreference).
- */
-function autocomplete_widgets_element_info() {
-  return array(
-    'autocomplete_widgets' => array(
-      '#input' => TRUE,
-      '#columns' => array('value'), '#delta' => 0,
-      '#process' => array('autocomplete_widgets_process_element'),
-      '#autocomplete_path' => FALSE,
-    ),
-  );
-}
-
-/**
- * Implementation of hook_field_widget_settings_form().
- */
-function autocomplete_widgets_field_widget_settings_form($field, $instance) {
-  module_load_include('inc', 'autocomplete_widgets', 'autocomplete_widgets.admin');
-  return _autocomplete_widgets_field_widget_settings_form($field, $instance);
-}
-
-/**
  * Implementation of hook_field_widget_form().
  */
 function autocomplete_widgets_field_widget_form(&$form, &$form_state, $field, $instance, $langcode, $items, $delta, $element) {
@@ -134,17 +143,17 @@ function autocomplete_widgets_field_widget_form(&$form, &$form_state, $field, $i
     case 'autocomplete_widgets_node_reference':
       $element['value'] = array_merge($element['value'], array(
         '#type' => 'textfield',
-        '#autocomplete_path' => 'autocomplete_widgets/'. $instance['entity_type'] . '/' . $instance['bundle'] . '/' . $element['#field_name'],
+        '#autocomplete_path' => 'autocomplete_widgets/' . $instance['entity_type'] . '/' . $instance['bundle'] . '/' . $element['#field_name'],
       ));
       break;
     case 'autocomplete_widgets_allowvals':
-      // get the label for key in hidden text field
+      // Get the label for key in hidden text field.
       $keys = array($element['value']['#default_value']);
       module_load_include('inc', 'autocomplete_widgets', 'autocomplete_widgets.common');
       $options = ($keys[0] != '') ? _autocomplete_widgets_get_options($instance, '', '', $keys, 1) : NULL;
       $element['value'] = array_merge($element['value'], array(
         '#type' => 'textfield',
-        '#process' => array('autocomplete_widgets_process_element'),
+        '#process' => array('autocomplete_widgets_element_process'),
         '#title' => $element['#title'],
         '#field_name' => $element['#field_name'],
         '#field_parents' => $element['#field_parents'],
@@ -156,69 +165,21 @@ function autocomplete_widgets_field_widget_form(&$form, &$form_state, $field, $i
         '#required' => $element['#required'],
         '#weight' => isset($element['#weight']) ? $element['#weight'] : 0,
         '#delta' => $delta,
-        '#element_validate' => array('autocomplete_widgets_validate'),
+        '#file' => drupal_get_path('module', 'autocomplete_widgets') . '/autocomplete_widgets.common.inc',
+        '#element_validate' => array('_autocomplete_widgets_validate_allowvals'),
       ));
+      break;
   }
 
   return $element;
 }
 
 /**
- * Process an individual textfield autocomplete element.
- */
-function autocomplete_widgets_process_element($element, &$form_state, $form) {
-  $instance = field_widget_instance($element, $form_state);
-
-  if ($instance['widget']['type'] == 'autocomplete_widgets_allowvals') {
-    module_load_include('inc', 'autocomplete_widgets', 'autocomplete_widgets.common');
-
-    $label = drupal_array_get_nested_value($form_state['values'], $element['#parents'], $exists);
-    $options = _autocomplete_widgets_get_options($instance, $label, 'equals', NULL, 1);
-    if ($options) {
-      drupal_array_set_nested_value($form_state['values'], $element['#parents'], key($options));
-    }
-  }
-  return $element;
-}
-
-/**
- * Validate a list autocomplete element.
- */
-function autocomplete_widgets_validate($element, &$form_state) {
-  $instance = field_widget_instance($element, $form_state);
-  if ($instance['widget']['type'] == 'autocomplete_widgets_allowvals') {
-    $label = $element['#value'];
-    if ($label !== '') {
-      module_load_include('inc', 'autocomplete_widgets', 'autocomplete_widgets.common');
-      $options = _autocomplete_widgets_get_options($instance, $label, 'equals', NULL, 1);
-      if (empty($options)) {
-        form_error($element, t('%name: %label is not a valid option for this field.', array('%name' => $instance['label'], '%label' => $label)));
-      }
-    }
-  }
-}
-
-/**
- * Menu callback; Retrieve the autocomplete suggestions.
- */
-function autocomplete_widgets_json($entity_type, $bundle_name, $field_name, $string = '') {
-  module_load_include('inc', 'autocomplete_widgets', 'autocomplete_widgets.common');
-  $field = field_info_instance($entity_type, $field_name, $bundle_name);
-  $match = isset($field['widget']['settings']['autocomplete_match']) ? $field['widget']['settings']['autocomplete_match'] : 'contains';
-  $matches = array();
-  $options = _autocomplete_widgets_get_options($field, $string, $match, NULL, 10);
-  foreach ($options as $key => $label) {
-    // Add a class wrapper for a few required CSS overrides.
-    $matches[$label] = '<div class="reference-autocomplete">'. check_plain($label) .'</div>';
-  }
-  drupal_json_output($matches);
-}
-
-/**
- * Theme an individual textfield autocomplete element.
+ * Implementation of hook_field_widget_settings_form().
  */
-function theme_autocomplete_widgets($element) {
-  return $element['#children'];
+function autocomplete_widgets_field_widget_settings_form($field, $instance) {
+  module_load_include('inc', 'autocomplete_widgets', 'autocomplete_widgets.admin');
+  return _autocomplete_widgets_field_widget_settings_form($field, $instance);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -281,3 +242,29 @@ function autocomplete_widgets_field_formatter_view($entity_type, $entity, $field
   }
   return $result;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Menu callback; Retrieve the autocomplete suggestions.
+ */
+function autocomplete_widgets_json($entity_type, $bundle_name, $field_name, $string = '') {
+  module_load_include('inc', 'autocomplete_widgets', 'autocomplete_widgets.common');
+
+  $instance = field_info_instance($entity_type, $field_name, $bundle_name);
+  $match = isset($field['widget']['settings']['autocomplete_match']) ? $field['widget']['settings']['autocomplete_match'] : 'contains';
+  $matches = array();
+  $options = _autocomplete_widgets_get_options($instance, $string, $match, NULL, 10);
+
+  foreach ($options as $key => $label) {
+    // Add a class wrapper for a few required CSS overrides.
+    $matches[$label] = '<div class="reference-autocomplete">'. check_plain($label) .'</div>';
+  }
+  drupal_json_output($matches);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Theme an individual textfield autocomplete element.
+ */
+function theme_autocomplete_widgets($element) {
+  return $element['#children'];
+}
+