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Sort Task

Overview

The Sort task reorders items in a list or array based on specified criteria. You can sort by field values, use multiple sort criteria, and control the sort direction (ascending or descending).

When to Use

Use the Sort task when you need to:

  • Order lists alphabetically or numerically
  • Sort records by date, priority, or other fields
  • Arrange data for display or reporting
  • Prioritize items based on criteria
  • Organize data before processing

Settings

Key / Column name

Type: Text field | Optional | Taggable: Yes

Specifies which part of your data contains the list to sort.

  • Use dot notation for nested data (e.g., order.items)
  • Leave empty to sort root level data

Sortable columns

Required | Type: Repeater field

Define sort criteria. Items are sorted by the first criterion, then by subsequent criteria for ties. Each sort column includes:

Column key / name

Required | Type: Text field | Taggable: Yes

The field name to sort by. Use dot notation for nested fields.

Order

Type: Select dropdown | Default: Ascending

Sort direction:

  • Ascending (ascending): A-Z, 0-9, oldest to newest
  • Descending (descending): Z-A, 9-0, newest to oldest

Keep index association?

Type: Switch | Default: No

Whether to preserve original array keys after sorting.

  • No: Reindexes array (0, 1, 2...)
  • Yes: Maintains original keys (useful for associative arrays)

How It Works

  1. Locate Data: Retrieves array from Key / Column name
  2. Validate: Ensures data is iterable (array/list)
  3. Build Sort Criteria: Constructs multi-level sort based on configured columns
  4. Sort Items: Orders items using comparison logic:
  5. Compares first sort column
  6. If equal, uses next sort column
  7. Continues through all criteria
  8. Reindex: If Keep index association is off, reindexes array
  9. Return Data: Returns sorted array

Use Cases

Sort by Single Field

Configuration: - Key: customers - Sortable columns: - Column: last_name, Order: Ascending

Result: Customers sorted alphabetically by last name.

Multi-Level Sort

Configuration: - Key: orders - Sortable columns: - Column: priority, Order: Descending - Column: date, Order: Ascending

Result: Orders sorted by priority (high to low), then by date (old to new) for same-priority items.

Sort by Nested Field

Configuration: - Key: products - Sortable columns: - Column: pricing.amount, Order: Ascending

Result: Products sorted by nested pricing amount.

Sort by Date

Configuration: - Key: events - Sortable columns: - Column: event_date, Order: Descending

Result: Events sorted by date, newest first.

Best Practices

Use Multiple Criteria: Add secondary sort columns to handle ties consistently.

Choose Correct Direction: Ascending for A-Z/low-to-high, descending for Z-A/high-to-low.

Sort Before Processing: Sort data early in workflows when order matters for subsequent tasks.

Consider Data Types: Ensure fields contain comparable data types (all numbers or all strings).

Test with Sample Data: Verify sort behavior matches expectations, especially with mixed data types.

Notes

  • Sortable columns are applied in order (first has priority)
  • Empty or missing fields are typically sorted to one end
  • String comparison is case-sensitive by default
  • Numeric strings are compared as strings unless converted
  • Keep index association preserves associative array keys
  • Original array is replaced with sorted version
  • Sorting doesn't modify item contents, only order
  • Dynamic tags supported in Key and Column fields