Computed Sorting

You might want to sort customers by alphabetical order, or sort a product line from lowest sales to highest sales. Both of these sorts are “computed sorts” because they use programmatic rules that you define to sort the field.

1. About Computed Sorting
2. How to Sort Data (Computed Sorts)
3. Example – Sorting a Text Table
4. Example – Sorting a Hierarchy

About Computed Sorting

Sorting dimensions in a computed manner follows these rules:

• You can sort any discrete field after it has been placed on a shelf (except the Filters shelf).
  
• Each dimension that appears on a worksheet can be sorted independently of any other dimension.
  
• The shelf location of the dimension determines the component of the data view that’s sorted. For example, if the dimension resides on the Columns shelf, the columns of the data view are sorted for that field. If the dimension resides on the Color shelf, the color encodings are sorted.
  
• Sorts are computed based on the values of the filters and sets in the view. Refer to Groups for more information.
  
• Sorted fields are identified by a sort icon on the right side of the field.
  

Continuous fields are automatically sorted from lowest number to highest number (as indicated by the axes) and you cannot manually change the sort. However, you can reverse the order of an axis using field specific formatting.