How to Sort Column Values in Matrix Visual Power BI?

In a Power BI Matrix visual, we can sort column values in alphabetical order. Very useful for different clients.

A few days ago, one of our clients asked me to design a Power BI report that includes a Matrix visual. The Matrix displays the ‘Products’ in a random order, whereas they wanted the values to be sorted in alphabetical order to display them in the report.

We can achieve this using the ‘Sort by’ feature in a Power BI matrix visual.

I will show you here how to sort column values in a Power BI matrix visual with different types of sorting examples, such as:

• Sort Column Values Alphabetically in Matrix Visual
• Sort Matrix Column Values Lowest to Highest
• Sort Column Values from Highest to Lowest
• Power BI matrix Sort by Multiple Columns

Sort Power BI Matrix Column Values Alphabetically [A-Z, Z-A]

Now, let’s see how to sort column values in the Power BI matrix visual alphabetically, in A-Z and Z-A order.

I have created a matrix visual, as shown in the image below, where the ‘Products‘ are in a random order.

Now, I wanted to sort the ‘Products‘ present in the Power BI matrix visual in alphabetical order of [A-Z].

You can do this by following the quick steps below:

1. On the Power BI canvas, select the Matrix visual, and then click on the ‘More options icon‘ […] on the top of the matrix. Expand Sort by -> choose the column to which you want to apply the sort.
2. Then, click on the ‘Sort ascending‘ option to sort the values in A-Z order.

Output: Products[A-Z] Order

3. If you want to sort the values in descending order [Z-A], then select the ‘Sort descending‘ option as shown below.

Result: Products in reverse Alphabetical Order

This way, you can sort the matrix column values alphabetically from A to Z in Power BI.

Check out How to Sort Matrix Column Headers in Power BI?

Power BI Matrix Column Values Sorting Highest to Lowest

Let me show you another useful example.

This example demonstrates how to sort the matrix column values from highest to lowest and vice versa.

Here, I will use the same matrix table that is used in the above example, as you can also see in the image below:

Within the matrix table presented above, I wanted to sort the values present in ‘Sum of sales 2024′ from Highest to Lowest order.

To do this, see the steps below:

1. Open the Power BI desktop, select the Matrix visual, and then click on the ‘More options icon‘ […] on the top of the matrix. Expand Sort by -> choose the column to which you want to apply the sort.

Here, I wanted to sort based on ‘Sum of sales 2024‘, so I selected that value.

2. Next, I have selected the ‘Sort descending ‘option, as it will sort the values from Highest to Lowest.

Output: Highest to Lowest

If you want to sort the values present in the matrix table from lowest to highest order, select the Sort Ascending option.

Output: Lowest to Highest

Power BI Matrix Sort by Multiple Columns

You can’t sort multiple columns together at the Power BI Matrix visual. We can only sort one column in the Power BI Matrix visual. As, this feature is only supported in the Table visual not in the Matrix visual.

Thus, you can do multiple column sorting in a Power BI Table visual.

In this tutorial, I have demonstrated how to sort column values in a Power BI matrix in both ascending and descending order, along with various useful examples. I hope you find this article helpful. Please mention your suggestions in the comments section.

Other Power BI Articles You May Read:

• Power BI Matrix Visual Conditional Formatting
• Display Power BI Matrix Visual in Tabular Format
• Power BI Stacked Bar Chart Sorted by Value
• Display Power BI Matrix Visual in Tabular Format
• How to Turn Off Grand Totals in Power BI Matrix

Bijay Kumar

After working for more than 18 years in Microsoft technologies like SharePoint, Microsoft 365, and Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power BI), I thought will share my SharePoint expertise knowledge with the world. Our audiences are from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, etc. For my expertise knowledge and SharePoint tutorials, Microsoft has been awarded a Microsoft SharePoint MVP (12 times). I have also worked in companies like HP, TCS, KPIT, etc.