Sorting Data in Views

When you create an analysis, you can specify sorting for the results that are displayed in graphs, pivot tables, tables, and trellises.

Common Sort Functionality

Some sort functionality is common to graphs, pivot tables, tables, and trellises, although you cannot sort values interactively on a graph.

Graphs, pivot tables, tables, and trellises reflect the sorting that you specify in the Selected Columns pane of the Criteria tab for attribute columns and hierarchical columns. Use the Sorting menu options that are available from the Options button for a column. These sorting options provide the ability to sort by a single column or by multiple columns, each in either ascending or descending order. By creating sorts for multiple columns, you can specify multiple level sorts such as second-level and third-level sorts of the data. These sort levels are indicated with numbers and a sort icon for the column in the Criteria tab.

The options that you specify on the Criteria tab serve as the initial sorting state of the analysis. You can modify the sort later when the analysis is used in a table, pivot table, or trellis.

When you sort items in a hierarchical column, you always sort within the parent. That is, children are never sorted outside of their parent. The children are displayed below the parent in the proper sort order; the parent is not sorted within its children.

If you include totals in a view, then those values are not sorted. They remain in the location in which you placed them, regardless of sorting.

If you sort an attribute column or hierarchical column that includes a group, then that group is always displayed at the bottom of the list. If there are multiple groups, then the groups are listed in the order in which their corresponding steps are specified in the Selection Steps pane.

Sorting Data

Sorting allows you to quickly sort rows and columns of a view, either from lowest to highest data values, or from highest to lowest. You can also return the order to the order in the data source by clearing all sorts. You can specify alphanumeric sorts on the row and column edges of pivot table views, table views, and trellis views.

You make sorting specifications in various ways, including those in the following list:

• the column and select the appropriate sort option from the menu.

• Right-click in a pivot table, table, or trellis, select Sort or Sort Column (whichever is available), and then select the appropriate sorting option from the menu.

• Hover the mouse pointer over the area to the right of the column name in the header of a pivot table, table, or trellis and click either the upward-facing triangle (Sort Ascending) or the downward-facing triangle (Sort Descending) for that column. These sort specifications override those that you make with the right-click menu.

  If you see a shaded-in sort button in the column header or the row header, then you know that the column contains a primary sort. You can add a second-level or third-level sort by hovering over another innermost column header or row header and clicking the appropriate sort button or clicking the right-mouse button.

Any sorting options that you specify in a view override those that were made in the Selected Columns pane.

Clearing Sorts

You can use various methods to clear sorts:

• For sorts that have been applied in the Selected Columns pane, click Clear All Sorts in All Columns. The sort specifications that you made in the Selected Columns pane are removed. Sorts that you specified in a view remain.

• For sorts that have been applied directly in a pivot table, table, or trellis:

  • Click a sort button in an unsorted column to remove the primary sort from the column to which it now applies and apply it to the column whose button you just clicked.

  • Select the Clear All Sorts in View option from the right-mouse menu.