Sort table/multi-row card by another column

[DanielV]

Hi,

I have a table containing three columns: Subject, Rank and DisplayIndex. I want to display only the Subject and Rank columns, either in a table or a multi-row card, but I need data to be sorted by the DisplayIndex column. 

I tried using the "Sort by Column" button: I selected the visual, then I selected the Rank field in the Fields pane, and then I checked the DisplayIndex field in the "Sort by Column" popup list. However, the table and the multi-row card don't seem to honor the "Sort by column" setting. 

Is there something I am doing wrong here or these visuals do not support the "Sort by Column" feature?

As a note, I know that I can add the DisplayIndex column to the table/multi-row card and then easily sort by it, but the DisplayIndex column should not be visible at all and I dit not find a way around this. 

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

@DanielV  - You can set the Sort by Column property of a column. Go to the Modelling tab in the ribbon, select a column from the Fields pane on the right, click Sort by Column and select the associated column:

Hope this helps,

Nathan

[v-frfei-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @DanielV ,

Based on my test using the sort by column option, that should work. Please select your subject column and make it sorted by displayindex column as the picture below.

[v-frfei-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @DanielV ,

Based on my test using the sort by column option, that should work. Please select your subject column and make it sorted by displayindex column as the picture below.

[DanielV · Accepted solution]

I've managed to make it work.

The problem was that the Value summarization was set to Sum by default. Once I set it to "Don't summarize", the sort behaved as expected.

Here's a demo pbix (download). It has the Value summarization set to Sum.

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

@DanielV  - You may also be interested in this idea for a functionality change:

https://ideas.powerbi.com/forums/265200-power-bi-ideas/suggestions/37174840-better-handle-column-typ...

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

@DanielV  - You can set the Sort by Column property of a column. Go to the Modelling tab in the ribbon, select a column from the Fields pane on the right, click Sort by Column and select the associated column:

Hope this helps,

Nathan

[DanielV]

@AnonymousThank you for your replay!

I have tried exactly what you suggested, with no results, unfortunately.

I have seen the sorted months example all over the internet but it doesn't work in my setup. It's true that I am not sorting a string column but a numeric one, and I am not working with a chart visual but with a table or multi-row card visual. Still, I haven't found any indication of limitation(s) of the "Sort by Column" feature that could explain why I can't make this work. So I must be doing something wrong. 

Needless to say, any suggestion would be highly appreciated, being in the form of a solution or a workaround.

Thank you in advance!

[Anonymous]

@DanielV  - Could you share a pbix? This should work.