Sorting visual data in Insights

You can sort data using multiple methods for most visual types. You can choose the sort order of on-visual data by using the quick sort option or field wells. You can also use field wells to sort data by an off-visual metric. The visual element you can sort by depends on the visual type and whether sorting is supported for that visual. For more information on which visual types support sorting, see Formatting options available for each visual type in Insights.

Pivot tables behave differently than tables when sorting values. For more information about sorting pivot tables, see Sort pivot tables in Insights.

For SPICE datasets, you can sort text strings of sizes up to the following limitations:

  • Up to two million (2,000,000) unique values

  • Up to 16 columns

When you exceed the limitations, the visual displays a notification at the upper right.

You can sort any visual type that supports sorting. If a visual type supports sorting, you can sort by using either the quick sort option or a field well.

To quickly sort dimensions and measures

  • Do one of the following:

    • Choose the sort icon that appears near the field name on either axis. In direct queries, this icon appears for any data type. For SPICE, this icon is available only for datetime, numeric, and decimal data types.

    • Choose the field name and then choose the sort option from the menu. If the label doesn't display on the axis, check the visual format to see if the axis is set to display labels. The display labels are automatically hidden on smaller visuals. You might need to make the visual large enough to display labels.

To sort by using an off-visual metric

  1. Open the analysis with the visual that you want to sort and click anywhere on Field wells to expand the field wells.

  2. Choose a field well that supports sorting, then choose Sort by, Sort options.

  3. On the Sort options pane, sort by specific fields, choose an aggregation, or sort ascending or descending, or do a combination of these.

  4. Choose Apply to save your changes. Or choose Clear to start over or Cancel to go back.

To sort by using a field well

  1. Open the analysis with the visual you want to sort and click anywhere on Field wells to expand the field wells.

  2. Choose a field well that supports sorting.

  3. On the field well menu, choose Sort, and then choose the ascending or descending sort order icon.