Select Top Row in a Group By without any numerical aggregation - sql

Question

I am trying to build a Item Table in access. I have item number, mfg name, and product description. I would like my PK to be item number and mfg name. However, I have about 5k areas where the product description is creating duplicates based on a slight variation in the description itself. I would like to just have access create the table by grouping all items based on item number and mfg name and then select the first result.
NOTE: the method I have attempted below uses MIN/MAX. This does NOT have to be the method suggested. Ultimate goal is to select the top row or a single row for each group So if i have 2 part numbers that say 123 and 2 product descriptions for that part number, I just want one of those descriptions to display. It does NOT matter which one.
Example:
Item_Num, MFG_Name, Product_Desc
414001000, AMBU INC., ASCOPE 3,LARGE,5.8/2.8 5EA/BX
414001000, AMBU INC., ASCOPE 3,LARGE,5.8/2.8 5EA/BX
06L21-01, ABBOTT LABORATORIES INC, 07K0040AT HAVAB-M CALB 4ML RX
06L21-01, ABBOTT LABORATORIES INC, ARCHITECT HAVAB-M CALB 4ML RX
Ideally, this is my result:
Item_Num, MFG_Name, Product_Desc
414001000, AMBU INC., ASCOPE 3,LARGE,5.8/2.8 5EA/BX
06L21-01, ABBOTT LABORATORIES INC, 07K0040AT HAVAB-M CALB 4ML RX
Idea so far that I have is to count the length of the description to quantify. Then use min/max to select the one that is desired. My code so far is:
SELECT
x.distributor_item_number,
x.mfg_item_number,
x.mfg_name,
x.distributor_product_description,
min(x.[LENGTH OF DESC])
INTO Product_Table
FROM [Product Table] AS x
INNER JOIN
(SELECT p.distributor_item_number,
max(p.[LENGTH OF DESC]) AS [MAX LENGTH]
FROM [Product Table] AS p
GROUP BY p.distributor_item_number) AS y ON (y.distributor_item_number = x.distributor_item_number) AND (y.[MAX LENGTH] = X.[LENGTH OF DESC])
GROUP BY x.distributor_item_number, x.mfg_item_number, x.mfg_name, x.distributor_product_description;
However, it doesn't seem to be working. I am still having duplicates in the data.
Any help would be wonderful.

Answer 1

I ended up adding a sequencing number in the select statement that would sequence for each group. Then I just selected the first row of each sequence. Code below
SELECT
p1.mfg_item_number,
p1.mfg_name,
p1.distributor_product_description,
Count(*) AS Seq
INTO Clean_Product_Table
FROM Product_Table AS p1
INNER JOIN Product_Table AS p2 ON (p2.mfg_item_number = p1.mfg_item_number)
AND (P2.MFG_NAME = P1.MFG_NAME)
AND (p2.InoSeq <= p1.InoSeq)
GROUP BY p1.mfg_item_number,
p1.mfg_name,
p1.distributor_product_description
HAVING COUNT(*) = 1
ORDER BY 1, 2, 5;