Sort consultants

Q: Can the Sort node sort by multiple fields at once?

Yes. You can add multiple sort criteria. The node sorts by the first field first, then uses the second field to break ties, and so on. For example, sorting by 'priority' descending and then by 'created_date' ascending gives you critical items first, with the oldest critical items at the top of that group.

Q: Does the Sort node handle different data types correctly?

The Sort node sorts strings alphabetically and numbers numerically. If a field contains numbers stored as strings (like '100', '20', '3'), alphabetical sorting will order them as '100', '20', '3' rather than '3', '20', '100'. In that case, convert the field to a number type using a Set or Function node before sorting.

Q: Where should the Sort node go in my workflow?

Place it after you have collected all the items you want to sort and before the step that consumes the sorted data. If you sort too early, subsequent nodes might add more items that are not sorted. A common pattern is: fetch data, filter it, sort it, then send or display it.

Q: Is there a limit to how many items the Sort node can handle?

The Sort node works in memory, so the practical limit depends on your n8n instance's available RAM. For typical business workflows processing hundreds or a few thousand items, it works fine. For very large datasets (tens of thousands of items), consider sorting at the data source level using a database query's ORDER BY clause instead.

Q: Can I sort items in random order for A/B testing or randomisation?

The Sort node does not have a built-in random option. To randomise items, add a Function node before the Sort that assigns a random number to each item, then sort by that random number field. This gives you a shuffled list that you can then split for A/B testing or random selection.

Q: Does sorting affect the original data in my source system?

No. The Sort node only reorders items within the n8n workflow — it does not modify any data in your source systems like databases, CRMs, or spreadsheets. It is purely an in-workflow transformation. Your source data remains in its original order.

We can help you automate your business with Sort and hundreds of other systems to improve efficiency and productivity. Get in touch if you’d like to discuss implementing Sort.

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About Sort

The Sort node in n8n reorders items in your workflow based on the values of one or more fields. It works exactly like sorting a column in a spreadsheet — you pick a field, choose ascending or descending, and the node rearranges all items accordingly. You can sort by multiple fields to break ties, such as sorting by status first and then by date within each status group.

Sorting becomes important when the order of items affects downstream processing. If you are generating a report that lists clients by revenue (highest first), building a leaderboard, prioritising a task queue, or simply need data in alphabetical order before presenting it to a user, the Sort node handles it in a single step without writing any code.

In practice, the Sort node often appears just before an output step in an n8n workflow. For example, you might pull all open support tickets from your help desk, use the Sort node to order them by priority (critical first) and then by age (oldest first within each priority level), and send the sorted list to Slack as a morning briefing for your support team. Or you might sort sales leads by deal value before inserting them into a spreadsheet so the highest-value opportunities appear at the top.

If you are building data processing workflows that need to organise and present information clearly, our business automation services can help you design n8n workflows that pull, sort, filter, and deliver the data your team needs in the right order.

Sort FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about how Sort consultants can help with integration and implementation

Can the Sort node sort by multiple fields at once?

Does the Sort node handle different data types correctly?

Where should the Sort node go in my workflow?

Is there a limit to how many items the Sort node can handle?

Can I sort items in random order for A/B testing or randomisation?

Does sorting affect the original data in my source system?

How it works

We work hand-in-hand with you to implement Sort

As Sort consultants we work with you hand in hand build more efficient and effective operations. Here’s how we will work with you to automate your business and integrate Sort with integrate and automate 800+ tools.

Step 1

Identify what needs sorting and why

Before adding the Sort node, be clear about which field you are sorting by and what order you need. Are you sorting customer records alphabetically by name for a report? Ordering tasks by due date for a priority queue? Ranking leads by deal size for a sales dashboard? The use case determines your sort configuration.

Step 2

Ensure your data is ready to sort

Make sure the field you want to sort by exists and has consistent data types across all items. If some items have the field as a number and others as a string, the sort may produce unexpected results. Use a Set node before sorting to standardise the field format if needed — for example, converting all date strings to ISO format.

Step 3

Add the Sort node to your workflow

Drag the Sort node onto your n8n canvas and connect it after the node that provides your data. In the node’s settings, click ‘Add Sort Field’ and select the field name you want to sort by. Choose ‘Ascending’ for A-Z or smallest-first, or ‘Descending’ for Z-A or largest-first.

Step 4

Add secondary sort criteria if needed

If you need to break ties (for example, when multiple items share the same priority), click ‘Add Sort Field’ again and select a second field. The Sort node applies fields in order — first sorting by the primary field, then by the secondary field within groups of equal primary values. You can add as many sort levels as needed.

Step 5

Test the sort output

Run the workflow and inspect the Sort node’s output to confirm items are in the expected order. Check edge cases: items with null or empty values in the sort field, items with identical values across all sort fields, and items with mixed data types. Fix any data inconsistencies upstream if the sort results are not what you expect.

Step 6

Connect to your output destination

Link the Sort node to whatever comes next — a Slack message node for team notifications, a Google Sheets node for reports, an email node for client-facing communications, or another processing node. The sorted order is preserved in all downstream nodes, so whatever receives the data will get it in the order you specified.

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