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Grids

Smartsheet Sorting with Filters Enabled

Smartsheet's native sort clears active filters before re-ordering rows, forcing you to re-apply your filter criteria after every sort. On sheets where both a filter and a meaningful row order matter — such as a filtered task list sorted by due date — this creates a constant back-and-forth that interrupts focus and wastes time.

Without Grid Tools

The daily workaround

Sort resets your filter
Running a native Smartsheet sort clears the active filter, so filtered views disappear and must be rebuilt.
Re-apply filter manually
After every sort, users reopen the Filter panel and re-enter each filter condition to restore the filtered view.
Hidden rows appear mid-sort
When a filter is cleared by the sort, previously hidden rows surface and mix into the sorted result, requiring a second pass to remove them.
Repeated two-step process
Teams working with filtered grids learn to sort first, then filter — a manual sequence that has no shortcut in native Smartsheet.
Screenshot: Native sort dialog in Smartsheet
Opening the native sort dialog with a filter active
Screenshot: Filter cleared after native sort runs
Filter cleared — all hidden rows reappear after sort
Screenshot: Re-applying filter conditions manually
Re-entering filter conditions to restore the filtered view

With Grid Tools

How Grid Tools handles it

Sort without clearing filters
Grid Tools sorts the visible rows in a filtered view while keeping the active filter conditions intact.
Hidden rows stay hidden
Rows excluded by the current filter remain hidden throughout the sort — only the filtered set is reordered.
Works with auto-sort
The filter-aware sort pairs with Grid Tools' auto-sort feature so filtered views stay sorted as data changes.
No filter rebuild required
Your filter panel settings are untouched, so you never have to re-enter conditions after sorting.
Screenshot: Grid Tools sort control with filter active
Sort control with an active filter in place
Screenshot: Rows sorted, filter conditions unchanged
Rows sorted — filter conditions remain intact
Screenshot: Hidden rows stay hidden after sort
Hidden rows remain hidden throughout the sort

Frequently asked questions

Does Smartsheet native sort work with filters?

Native Smartsheet sorts clear the active filter before reordering rows, so you must re-apply your filter afterward. Grid Tools sorts the filtered view directly, leaving the filter intact.

Can I sort only the rows visible in my filtered view?

Yes. Grid Tools sorts only the rows currently visible under the active filter, leaving hidden rows unaffected and in their original positions.

Does this work with Smartsheet auto-sort?

Yes. Grid Tools' filter-aware sort is compatible with the auto-sort feature, so filtered views stay sorted automatically as cell values change.

Will sorting with a filter active change row numbers?

Row numbers in Smartsheet reflect absolute position in the full grid. Sorting reorders all rows (hidden and visible), so row numbers will shift — the same behavior as any sort.

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