Save and Reuse Sort Settings in Smartsheet

SSFeatures lets you save your sorts by name and apply them again in one click.

The Problem

Smartsheet forgets how you sorted a sheet. Each time you want the same order back, you must set it up again:

1. Right click a column and choose "Sort Rows".
2. Pick the first column to sort by.
3. Add a second column, and maybe a third.
4. Set each column to ascending or descending.
5. Click "OK".

If you switch between a few different orders, you repeat these steps every time. On a busy sheet, that adds up to many minutes a week.

When do you need saved sort settings?

• You sort a project plan by due date, then by owner, then back again.
• Your team reviews a sheet in the same order at every weekly meeting.
• You manage many sheets that should all sort the same way.
• You want to check that a sheet is still in the order you expect.

The Solution with SSFeatures

SSFeatures adds a Settings button to its Sort popups. It opens a list of your saved sorts beside the sort options.

Save a Sort

Set up your sort columns and directions, then click Save current settings. Give the sort a name, such as "By due date", and click Save.

SSFeatures saves the columns, the directions, and the "Sort Automatically" and "Retain cell selection" options. Saving under a name you already use asks before it replaces the old sort.

Apply a Saved Sort

Click a name in the list. SSFeatures fills in the sort for you. Click OK to sort your rows.

A clock marks the sort you applied last, and the top of the popup shows its name. If you change the sort after applying it, SSFeatures marks it Changed. Click the arrow beside it to go back to the saved sort.

The Sort Columns and Sort Rows popups share one list, so a sort saved in one is ready in the other.

Copy Sort Settings to Other Sheets

You can copy your saved sorts from one sheet and paste them into another.

1. Click the Copy button at the top of the list.
2. Check the sorts you want, and click Copy.
3. Open another sheet and open the Sort popup.
4. Click the Paste button, and then Paste.

SSFeatures matches each column by its name on the new sheet, even if the capital letters differ. Before you paste, it shows which columns the new sheet is missing. If a sort's first column is missing, SSFeatures does not paste that sort, because it would sort by something else. If a sort with the same name is already on the sheet, you choose whether to keep it or replace it.

Copying sorts between sheets is part of the SSFeatures Pro plan. A copy stays ready to paste for 4 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I share my saved sorts with my teammates?

  • No. SSFeatures keeps your saved sorts in your own browser, so your teammates cannot see them. You can copy them to your other sheets.

• What happens if I rename a column?

  • Your saved sort still works. SSFeatures finds each column by its ID first, and then by its name.

• What happens if a column in my saved sort is deleted?

  • SSFeatures applies the rest of the sort and tells you which columns it could not find. You can update the saved sort to drop them.

• Can you tell me more about the security and privacy of this feature?

  • Absolutely. SSFeatures works entirely in your browser. It uses the same Smartsheet code that you already use. None of your sheet data is ever sent to our servers. Everything stays private and secure.