Sort Rows Without Mixing Up Data in Calligra Sheets

A spreadsheet sort can accidentally corrupt a list if you rearrange one column without its related columns. Calligra Sheets provides a Sort dialog for sorting a complete table by one or more columns.

Example to practice

Start with this small inventory:

Product	Category	Quantity
Binder	Stationery	12
Cable	Electronics	7
Marker	Stationery	5
Adapter	Electronics	14

To sort by Category and then by Quantity, select the entire three-column table first. Do not select only Category: the product and quantity must remain aligned with their category.

Sort the table

1. Select all columns and rows in the table, including the heading row.
2. Find Sort in the Data menu; the KDE handbook documents this dialog.
3. Indicate that the first row contains column headers, so headings are not sorted into the data.
4. Choose Category as the first sort key, and Quantity as the second. Select ascending/descending for each as needed.
5. Review the full row associations before saving.

With Category ascending and Quantity descending, the Electronics rows should read Adapter (14), then Cable (7); the Stationery rows should read Binder (12), then Marker (5).

Common sort mistakes

• Only one column selected: related values can become separated from their original records.
• Header treated as data: enable the heading option.
• Numbers treated as text: text ordering can put 12 before 7; convert to numeric values.
• Unexpected letter order: the documented dialog includes case-sensitivity settings, which may affect mixed-capitalization text.

For a new spreadsheet, begin with the expense tracker.

Verification status: Sorting logic independently reviewed; menu wording based on an older KDE handbook and awaits testing in a recent Calligra release.

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Official source: Application handbook or manual. The steps follow the linked software documentation; the menus and results have not been independently tested in the current application.