Error | Sort by another column

[InsightSeeker]

Hello

When i am trying to sort the Summary Coloumn with sort by another column "Row Index" i am getting the below error. There are no same values that i can see

Sort by another column
We can't sort the 'Summary' column by 'Row Index'. There can't be more than one value in 'Row Index' for the same value in 'Summary'. Please choose a different column for sorting or update the data in 'Row Index'.

Sample file   - Click Here

[v-agajavelly]

Hi @InsightSeeker ,

Thanks @MattiaFratello  you nailed it. The error pops up when a Summary value is linked to more than one Row Index value, even if those duplicates aren’t obvious hidden spaces, different characters, etc.

Hey @InsightSeeker did you get a chance to try this? If not, here’s the quick fix make sure each Summary has only one matching Row Index. If you find duplicates, either clean them up, trim any extra spaces, or tweak the text so each one is unique. Once that one-to-one link is in place, the sort should work fine.

Regards,
Akhil.

[jaineshp]

Hey @InsightSeeker,

Solutions for Power BI Sort Error

Based on the error message you're encountering, here are the recommended troubleshooting steps:

1. Data Validation Check

• Review your Summary column for duplicate entries
• Look for identical text values that may appear unique but contain hidden spaces or special characters
• Use Data > Remove Duplicates feature to identify potential duplicates

2. Column Relationship Analysis

• Verify that each unique Summary value corresponds to only one Row Index value
• Check if multiple rows share the same Summary text but have different Row Index numbers
• This one-to-many relationship is what's causing the sort failure

3. Data Cleansing Options

• Remove or modify duplicate Summary entries to make them unique
• Add distinguishing suffixes to similar Summary values (e.g., "Analysis_v1", "Analysis_v2")
• Trim whitespace using Data > Transform > Trim function

4. Alternative Sorting Approaches

• Create a composite key column combining Summary and Row Index
• Use a different reference column that maintains unique relationships
• Consider sorting by Summary column directly if alphabetical order meets your requirements

5. Technical Workaround

• Generate a new unique identifier column specifically for sorting purposes
• Ensure the Row Index column contains sequential, non-repeating values
• Refresh your data model after making changes

The root cause is Power BI's requirement for a one-to-one relationship between the sort column and the column being sorted. Implementing any of these solutions should resolve the error.

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Best Regards,
Jainesh Poojara | Power BI Developer

[MattiaFratello]

Hey @InsightSeeker, Power BI wants every value in your “Summary” column to match up with just one value in your “Row Index” column. If “Summary” has ANY repeats (even if you think they’re unique), and “Row Index” has different values for those repeated items, this won't work.