EndUserSharePoint.com: Can I sort at multiple levels within a hierarchy of folders?

Tanya Gegare
Quad/Graphics

Tanya Gegare is a frequent reader of EndUserSharePoint.com. She has offered a solution to a problem when trying to sort within a hierarchical folder structure and was kind enough to document her solution with screenshots.

Problem

I have one document library with two levels of folders. Level 1 has 10 folders that I want sorted A-Z. Inside of each folder I have documents 2000-2008. I want 2008 at the top of each folder (Z-A, 9-0). How can I do this?

Solution

Use the information, or lack of information, in the title column to help manage your sort.

The first level of folders, A-Z, were created with New>Folder within Sharepoint. When titling each folder A, B, C it applies the folder name to the “title” field as well.

Within each first level folder (A-Z) are folders titled 1990-2008. These folders were created in explorer view. When creating and naming a folder in explorer view the folder name is NOT applied to the “title” field.

To sort the first level folders A-Z and the second level folders 2008-1990 (or Z-A respectively), use the title field for sorting. Click on View: “All Documents” >Modify this view

Set sort first by title, then sort by: Name. The first level folders will be sorted by their title (A-Z) ascending. However, since the second level folders don’t have a title it will sort them by their name, descending.

Tada! :-) And you by doing this…you have happy co-workers…

Tanya Gegare
Tanya is a Corporate Trainee with Quad/Graphics and is currently working with the Corporate Change Management team. Her role is to work with a team to implement SharePoint company wide