topic Re: Sort Order issue in Report Server

Sort Order issue

JediMole — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 19:40:54 GMT

I created a data table so my visuals will sort properly, but it appears about 239 of the answers are unique in such a way its causing the selection to sort by not to work.

When I check the data I can see all the unique free text answers result in a null value for the sort order, so the error message makes sense im trying to rack my brain how to best fix this

I know I could replace the Answers with a numeric number to force them in a specific order but that seems like a chest, is there a way to make this work?

Re: Sort Order issue

GeraldGEmerick — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 19:55:43 GMT

JediMole Could you replace all null values with a random number that is 12 or greater? You could make the range large enough that you would likely not get duplicates. Another thought, do you really need the Additional Comments for what you are doing? You could simply get rid of those if they are not really that important or move those to another, linked table.

Re: Sort Order issue

JediMole — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 20:13:34 GMT

I could replace the Nulls, I did replace them with just a 0 (zero) but I didnt try all unique numbers. I do need the additional as I have another drill thru visual the team uses

Re: Sort Order issue

Jai-Rathinavel — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 20:46:12 GMT

Hi JediMole I have created a Power Query logic that automatically assigns a new Sort Order value to manually entered answers. This prevents errors when sorting by other columns and ensures consistent ranking. Attached the file and power query for your reference.

let Source = Csv.Document(File.Contents("C:\Users\jaike\Downloads\rank.csv"), [Delimiter=",", Columns=3, Encoding=1252]), #"Promoted Headers" = Table.PromoteHeaders(Source, [PromoteAllScalars=true]), #"Changed Type" = Table.TransformColumnTypes(#"Promoted Headers",{{"Sort Order", Int64.Type}}), MaxRank = try List.Max(List.RemoveNulls(#"Changed Type"[Sort Order])) otherwise 0, NullAnswerKeys = Table.Distinct(Table.SelectColumns(Table.SelectRows(#"Changed Type", each [Sort Order] = null), {"Answer"})), RankedNullKeys = Table.AddIndexColumn(NullAnswerKeys, "NewRank", MaxRank + 1, 1), Joined = Table.NestedJoin(#"Changed Type", "Answer", RankedNullKeys, "Answer", "New", JoinKind.LeftOuter), Expanded = Table.ExpandTableColumn(Joined, "New", {"NewRank"}, {"NewRank"}), Final = Table.AddColumn(Expanded, "New Sort Order", each if [Sort Order] = null then [NewRank] else [Sort Order], Int64.Type), Output = Table.RemoveColumns(Final, {"NewRank","Sort Order"}), #"Sorted Rows" = Table.Sort(Output,{{"New Sort Order", Order.Ascending}}) in #"Sorted Rows"

Thanks,
Jai

Re: Sort Order issue

R1k91 — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 18:28:10 GMT

easily get a row number
Table.AddIndexColumn - PowerQuery M | Microsoft Learn

Re: Sort Order issue

MichaelVenables — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 08:59:09 GMT

Hi,

Just a simple idea which may or may not help. But your sort order column is of format 'Text' so it wont easily order as a text format. If you change this to Interger it can be sorted in the order you might want it to be?

Thanks,

Michael

Re: Sort Order issue

v-nmadadi-msft — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 07:03:29 GMT

Hi JediMole

I wanted to check if you had the opportunity to review the information provided. Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions.

Thank you.

Re: Sort Order issue

v-nmadadi-msft — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 12:15:16 GMT

Hi JediMole

May I check if this issue has been resolved? If not, Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions.

Thank you