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I created a table in Numbers using categories but I don't want them sorted. I do not see an option on how to turn off or remove sorting. The only options are to choose to sort categories or groups for the whole table or by row, and to sort ascending or descending.
How can I turn off sorting altogether? I want my categories in the order that I want them, not alpha or numeric sorting. Thanks for your help.
Sure. PS. if you think that this could be an issue down the road, I would simply add a column to the left or right of your data and give each row a value 1, 2, 3, etc. Then if somehow other data was sorted, you can always put it back using your column of numbers in order simply by sorting by that special column. You can even make the size smaller, etc.
When I turn on Categories, it puts them in the order it finds them in the table. It will sort the table to put all like things together but the order of the categories, and the order of each item in a category, are in the order it found them in the table. Is this not what is happening for you?
Also, I can select a category and drag it up or down to a different spot.
I actually started from a template so there was already some dad in the cells and the categories were already there too. I just can’t turn off the sort. I will probably end up adding a number to the beginning of my groups so that they will order that way. Thanks.
You can grab a category and move it to a different position. Click on the row number next to the category (actually it will be a blank square with no number). Then click and hold that spot and the category will "lift" from the table. Drag it to where you want it and let go.
Supermarette wrote:
I tried that and unfortunately the row just snaps back to the sorted position.
For later readers, I'd just like to point out that this comment and the post marked as "solving" this question do not accurately describe the behavior of the Numbers software on my machine.
In categories, sorting is not automatic. As Badunit noted when you add a Category to a column the results are in the order that Numbers finds them in the table.
And when you drag a Category to another position it does not "just snap back" to its original position.
These statements are simply not true! At least on my machine.
Categories is a really powerful and flexible feature. It does not suffer from the supposed limitations described above.
SG
What version of Numbers are you using? I am using 11.1 and it is not doing that. I used Categories back in the Numbers '09 days but not since then, other than when answering questions here. I do seem to recall that it used to sort the categories. Now it has commands for you to sort them only when you want to. Of course, I may be remembering it wrong.
Sorting is a feature of the software, so you cannot turn it off. But, that doesn't stop you from creating your worksheet however you wish.
thank you!
Good suggestion - thanks!
I tried that and unfortunately the row just snaps back to the sorted position. I’ll just stick with the number method for now. Thanks!
How to remove all sorting using categories in a numbers table
