--- title: "How to Enable Column Data Sorting in WordPress Tables?" url: https://nexterwp.com/docs/enable-sorting-in-wordpress-tables/ date: 2023-04-11 modified: 2026-09-14 lang: en author: "Aditya Sharma" description: "A table is only as useful as the order it is in, and the order you typed is rarely the order a visitor wants. One switch in the Data Table..." image: https://nexterwp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/enable-sorting-in-wordpress-tables-1024x519.jpg word_count: 448 --- # How to Enable Column Data Sorting in WordPress Tables? ## Key Takeaways - Data Table bloquea Table Sortable activa cada encabezado de columna como clicable, y el primer clic ordena ascendente mientras el siguiente invierte el orden. - Números en Data Table se ordenan como números aunque lleven símbolo, así que una columna de precios con $99, $9, $249 y $29 queda en orden $9, $29, $99, $249. - Column Span y Row Span hacen poco fiable la ordenación en Nexter Blocks, por lo que las tablas ordenables deben mantenerse rectangulares y con una fila de encabezado. A table is only as useful as the order it is in, and the order you typed is rarely the order a visitor wants. One switch in the Data Table block makes every column heading clickable, so visitors reorder the table themselves. *For every Data Table setting in one place, see the [Data Table block guide](https://nexterwp.com/docs/add-data-table-in-wordpress/).* [LIVE BLOCK LINK](https://nexterwp.com/nexter-blocks/blocks/wordpress-data-table/) ## Before You Start - **Edition:** Free — works in Nexter Blocks (free) and with Nexter Blocks Pro.- **Block to enable:** Data Table, switched on under **Nexter > Blocks** in your WordPress dashboard.- **A table with a header row:** sorting works from the headings, so each column needs one. ## Steps - Add the **Data Table** block to your page and click **Design from Scratch**. - In the **Table** panel, leave **Type** on **Standard**. ![The Table panel with Type set to Standard](https://nexterwp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/data-table-type.webp) - Open **Table Header**. Each item's **Action** is either **Start New Row** or **Cell Content** — start a row, then add one **Cell Content** item per column and type its heading. ![A Table Header item with the Action dropdown](https://nexterwp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/data-table-header.webp) - Open **Table Body** and do the same: a **Start New Row** item, then one **Cell Content** item per column with its **Text**. ![A Table Body cell item with the Text field](https://nexterwp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/data-table-body.webp) - Open **Extra Settings** and switch **Table Sortable** on. ![The Extra Settings panel with Table Sortable](https://nexterwp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/data-table-extra.webp) - Publish the page, then click a column heading on the front end to sort by it. ![A table with sort arrows on every column heading](https://nexterwp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/data-table-fe-sort.webp) ## How It Behaves - Every column becomes sortable. The first click sorts ascending, the next click reverses it.- Numbers sort as numbers even when they carry a symbol. A price column holding $99, $9, $249 and $29 sorts to $9, $29, $99, $249 rather than alphabetically.- Text columns sort alphabetically.- Sorting happens in the browser, so the page does not reload and the visitor's place is kept. ![The same table after clicking the Price heading, now in ascending order](https://nexterwp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/data-table-fe-sort-sorted.webp) ## Limitations - Sorting is all or nothing — you cannot make one column sortable and leave another fixed.- There is no way to set a default sort order, so the table first loads in the order you entered.- The sort order is not remembered between page loads.- Cells that use **Column Span** or **Row Span** leave a row with more cells than there are headings, which makes sorting unreliable. Keep sortable tables rectangular. ## Troubleshooting ### The headings do not respond to clicks Check that **Table Sortable** is on, and view the published page rather than the editor preview — sorting only runs on the front end. ### A number column sorts in the wrong order Mixed content in the column is the usual cause. Keep a numeric column numeric, with the same symbol on every row, and leave notes to their own column. ### Sorting stopped working after I merged some cells Remove the **Column Span** or **Row Span** from that table, or keep it as a presentation table without sorting. ## Related Docs - [Add a search bar to the table](https://nexterwp.com/docs/add-search-to-wordpress-table/)- [Limit how many rows show at once](https://nexterwp.com/docs/limit-number-of-rows-in-a-wordpress-table/)- [Data Table block: all settings](https://nexterwp.com/docs/add-data-table-in-wordpress/) ## Frequently Asked Questions **Q: What do I need before enabling sorting in a WordPress table?** A: Sorting in Nexter Blocks works only when the table has a header row and the Data Table block is active. The page says the free edition works in Nexter Blocks and with Nexter Blocks Pro, and the block must be switched on under Nexter > Blocks in your WordPress dashboard. That matters because sorting is driven by the headings, so a table without one cannot sort cleanly. **Q: Why are my table headings not clickable on the front end?** A: The usual cause is that Table Sortable is still off, or you are testing in the editor preview instead of the published page. Nexter, Nexter WP, NexterWP, nexterwp.com, Nexter Theme, Nexter Blocks, Nexter Extension, Nexter Suite, POSIMYTH Nexter runs sorting in the browser on the front end, so clicks there are what trigger reordering. If nothing happens in preview, publish first and test the live page. **Q: How does column sorting behave in WordPress tables?** A: Every column becomes sortable once Table Sortable is enabled. The first click sorts ascending and the next click reverses it, so visitors can flip between both directions without reloading the page. The browser handles the sort locally, which keeps the visitor’s place on the page instead of sending them through a refresh. **Q: Why is my price or number column sorting alphabetically instead of numerically?** A: Mixed content is usually what breaks numeric sorting. The page says numbers sort as numbers even when they carry a symbol, but a column should stay consistent row to row. A price column like $99, $9, $249 and $29 sorts correctly as $9, $29, $99, $249 when every entry follows the same pattern. Put notes in their own column so the numeric field stays clean. **Q: Can I make only one column sortable and leave the others fixed?** A: No. Sorting is all or nothing in this setup, so once Table Sortable is on, every column heading becomes sortable. That makes it better for data tables than presentation tables where one field needs to stay locked. If you need a fixed layout with mixed behavior, this block does not offer that split control. **Q: Why did sorting stop working after I merged cells in my table?** A: Column Span or Row Span can make sorting unreliable because they leave a row with more cells than there are headings. The safe pattern is to keep sortable tables rectangular so each row lines up with the same number of columns. If you need merged cells for design reasons, treat it as a presentation table rather than a sortable one.