Sorting records in SmartSuite is designed to be intuitive and works much like sorting data in a spreadsheet. This guide will help you understand how to use the Sort control effectively across different views.
Plan Availability | All plan types |
Permissions | General Access |
Related Reading |
Sorting Overview
The Sort control is available in the Report Toolbar and can be used in the following views:
Grid
Card
Kanban
Gantt
Calendar
Timeline
Map
How Sorting Works
Text-Based Fields: Sorted alphabetically (A to Z or Z to A).
Numeric & Date Fields: Sorted in ascending (1 to 9) or descending (9 to 1) order.
Values List Fields (e.g., Single Select): Sorted based on the order of values in the list.
For example, if a Status field has the following values:
Backlog
In Process
Ready for Review
Complete
Selecting First to Last will arrange records starting with Backlog, as it is the first option in the list.
Note: You can add up to 15 sort by options in a view. The priority of the sorts will work from starting from the top to the bottom. Using the move handle on the left of the sort, you can adjust the order of the sorts. Delete them using the trash bin on the right of the sort.
Sorting in Different Views
Sorting in Grid View
Use the Column Control to sort records by a specific column (field).
Sorting in Card & Kanban Views
Sorting here organizes the cards visually within columns based on the selected sort order.
Sorting in Calendar, Timeline, and Map Views
Sorting in these views rearranges the cards in the Record Listing Panel while maintaining the visual layout of the primary view.
Sorting in Gantt Views
Sorting Gantt Views rearranges the records displayed by the parameter that you passed, in this examples it is Sorted by a Single Select, and it is then sorted by that type.
Custom Sorting
If you want your records to be sorted in a custom order, you are able to do so in Grid/Cart/Kanban views, where the user can reorder records using the drag and drop feature, and the custom order will be saved. This only works when Sort control is not applied.
Pro Tip: If you are unable to drag and drop records, it is likely due to an applied Sort.
Practical Scenarios and Use Cases
1. Task Prioritization
Scenario: A project manager wants to organize tasks by priority level to ensure high-priority tasks are addressed first.
Solution: Use the Single Select "Priority" field to sort tasks from "High" to "Low."
2. Workflow Organization
Scenario: The engineering team needs to track issues in their development pipeline.
Solution: Use the Kanban view and sort issues by the "Status" field to reflect their progress (e.g., Backlog, In Process, Complete).
3. Event Scheduling
Scenario: The events team wants to arrange activities in a Calendar view by their start dates.
Solution: Use the Date field to sort events chronologically, ensuring the timeline is easy to follow.
By understanding and applying these sorting methods, you can streamline your workflows and make data organization more effective across all your SmartSuite views.