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Writer's pictureNeeraj Singh

Multi-Column Sort in Salesforce List Views: A Game-Changer for Complex Data

Salesforce MUTLI_COLUMN SORT IN LIST VIEWS

Before Winter '25: If you've ever tried to sift through a dense list view in Salesforce, you know the struggle. Previously, list views allowed only a single-column sort, which meant that prioritizing records with multiple critical attributes was challenging. Imagine reviewing a list of opportunities sorted by close date—but there's no way to further organize it by amount to see high-value opportunities first. Or, if you’re viewing contacts sorted by last name, there's no secondary order by first name, leading to endless scrolling to find exactly what you need.

To work around this, users often relied on list view filters, like sorting by close date while filtering out lower-value opportunities. But this approach quickly falls short: it limits visible data, often leads to multiple list views, and may disrupt other users who share the list view.

It’s no wonder multi-column sorting became one of the top-requested features on Salesforce’s IdeaExchange.

The Power of Multi-Column Sort in Salesforce List Views


Salesforce Winter '25 introduces a new feature that brings multi-column sorting to list views! Now, you can prioritize multiple fields within a single list view, adding up to five fields with ascending or descending order per field. You’ll find the new "Sort by Multiple Columns" button next to filters in the upper-right corner of the list view. When selected, it opens a modal where you can easily configure your preferred sort order.

Example Usage: Suppose you’re a sales manager reviewing opportunities. With multi-column sort, you can now organize your list view by owner, stage, and then amount. This instantly improves clarity, helping you quickly identify the most important records.

How It Works

Once you apply multi-column sorting, you’ll see your selected sort order indicated directly in the list view header. Directional arrows show each column’s sort direction, and if you need to adjust, just re-open the modal to update the order or remove a column (using the trash icon).

To reset the sorting, simply click "Reset Column Sorting" under the gear icon in the list view header. And the best part? These settings are personal to each user, meaning your preferences won’t impact other team members.

List View Sort by Mutliple Columns in Salesforce

Key Considerations

  1. Column Header Behavior: If you click on a column header that’s part of your multi-column sorting, the list will re-sort by that column in the opposite direction. Clicking on a column not included in your sort clears the multi-column sorting, reverting to a single sort for the clicked column.

    A list View of Opportunity StageName.
  2. Single vs. Multi-Column Sort: You need at least two fields for multi-column sorting. To go back to single-column sorting, use the "Reset Column Sorting" option in the gear icon.

    Opportunity Compact Layouts
  3. Supported Objects: Multi-column sorting only works for objects supported by Lightning Web Components (LWC). If the sort icon is missing, the object may not yet support this feature. Enabling multi-column sort will also enable the LWC list view object home.

    A List view Controls of Salesforce Clouds.

Enabling Multi-Column Sort (Beta)

To try out multi-column sorting in Winter '25:

  1. Go to Setup > User Interface.

  2. Select the checkbox titled Enable sort by multiple columns (Beta).

    User Inferface to Enable Salesforce

Keep Learning About Winter '25

Each Salesforce release is packed with new functionality. Throughout Winter '25, keep an eye out for more blogs and videos about list view enhancements, including multi-column sorting. Try it out and see how it can boost your team’s productivity!

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