Sorting report results

You can reorganize how data is displayed on your report by sorting the data. Sorting lets you move data so you can analyze your report results more effectively without re-executing the report. For example, you can move the most important data up to the top of the report where you can see it easily. Or you can group particular sets of data together so you can more easily compare related data.

You can sort results quickly by column or row, or you can define a more complex sort pattern based on multiple rows and columns or based on objects not displayed on the report. See the appropriate procedure below.

To sort report results quickly

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1. Click the name of a grid report to execute it.

2. Do one of the following:

• Right-click on the column or row header to sort, point to Sort, and select either Ascending or Descending. The column or row is sorted accordingly.

• Use the sort buttons located within each column or row header as described below. If the sort buttons are not displayed, from the Tools menu, select Sort Buttons.

• A gray arrow at the top of a column or row indicates that the data in the column or row is unsorted.

• If the gray arrow is pointing up , click it to sort the data in that column or row in ascending order.

• If the gray arrow is pointing down , click it to sort the data in that column or row in descending order.

• A white arrow at the top of a column or row indicates that the data in the column or row is already sorted.

• If the white arrow is pointing up , the data is already sorted in ascending order. Click it to resort in descending order.

• If the white arrow is pointing down , the data is already sorted in descending order. Click it to resort the data in ascending order.

To sort report results based on multiple rows and columns

You can sort based on multiple rows or columns. For example, in a report that displays the profits of several stores within multiple divisions, you could sort first by division, then by profit. This would allow you to see the most profitable stores within their respective divisions.

You can sort by metrics, by custom groups, or by attribute forms, including attribute forms not currently displayed on your report. For example, if the Customer attribute's ID form is displayed on your report, you can sort based on the DESC (description) form of the Customer attribute.

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1. Click the name of a grid report to execute it.

2. From the Data menu, select Sort. The Sort dialog box is displayed.

• If DHTML is disabled, click the Go icon.

3. The Sort dialog box/panel contains two tabs: Row and Column. If you have not already defined the sort behavior for the report, the drop-down lists in the dialog box are empty. Sort using any of the following methods:

• Select the Row tab to specify sort options for the rows of your report. From the first drop-down list, select the name of the first row to sort by, and whether to sort it in ascending or descending order.
  
  For example, you have Region and Quarter attributes on the report's rows. You can specify that all the region data be sorted in descending order, and then that the quarters should be listed in ascending order.

• Select the Column tab to specify sort options for the columns of your report. From the first drop-down list, select the name of the first column to sort by, and whether to sort it in ascending or descending order.
  
  For example, you have Profit and Region on the report's columns. You can specify that the columns be sorted by the regions in ascending order.

4. Click Apply to view the report with these sorting selections.