> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://alphacastio.mintlify.site/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Sort Rows > Order rows by one or more columns, each with its own ascending or descending direction. The **Sort Rows** step reorders the rows of the dataset by the columns you choose. ## Configuration Add one or more sort columns. Each one carries **its own direction**, so you can sort by date descending and then by country ascending in the same step. | Field | Description | | ---------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Column | A column to sort by. Columns apply in the order you add them: the first is the primary sort key, later ones break ties. | | Sort order | Direction for **that column** — ascending (lowest to highest, A to Z) or descending. | At least one sort column is required; the step fails if none is selected, or if a selected column is not present in the data at that point in the pipeline. Sorting changes only row order — no rows are added, removed or recalculated. Sorting matters when a later step depends on row order, such as [Data snapshot](/steps/data-snapshot) or [Publish dataset](/steps/publish). It does **not** affect group or rolling-window functions in [Calculate Variable](/steps/calculate-variable), which resolve their own ordering by date and entity. To place rows in an explicit, arbitrary sequence rather than sorting by value, use the **Reorder Rows** step instead. ## Next steps Drop rows that don't meet a condition. Change column order rather than row order.