# CSV Sorter Sort CSV data by one or multiple columns with ascending/descending order options > Canonical page: https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/csv-sorter - **Category:** Data Processing - **Keywords:** csv, sort, order, columns, ascending, descending, data sorting ## Overview The CSV Sorter is a powerful utility designed to organize your comma-separated data by sorting rows based on one or multiple columns. Whether you need to arrange records alphabetically, numerically, or chronologically, this tool provides precise control over your data structure with support for ascending and descending order. ## Inputs - **CSV File** (file) - **Sort Column** (text): Column name to sort by - **Sort Order** (select) - **Secondary Sort Column** (text): Secondary column for tie-breaking - **Secondary Sort Order** (select) - **Data Type** (select) - **Treat Empty Values as Last** (checkbox) - **Output Format** (select) - **Include Header Row** (checkbox) ## When to use - Organizing large datasets that are currently unsorted or randomly ordered. - Preparing data for analysis by grouping similar entries together. - Cleaning up CSV files by applying tie-breaking logic with secondary sorting columns. ## How it works - Upload your CSV file using the file selector. - Specify the primary column name you wish to sort by and select your preferred sort order. - Optionally define a secondary column for tie-breaking and choose the appropriate data type for accurate sorting. - Click process to generate your sorted file in your chosen output format. ## Use cases - Sorting financial transaction logs by date and then by amount. - Alphabetizing customer contact lists by last name and then by first name. - Ordering inventory reports by stock quantity to identify low-stock items. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I sort by more than one column? Yes, you can define a primary sort column and a secondary sort column to handle tie-breaking effectively. ### Does the tool support different data types? Yes, you can select between auto-detect, string, number, date, or alphanumeric to ensure the sorting logic matches your data content. ### What happens to empty cells during sorting? By default, the tool treats empty values as last, ensuring they do not interfere with the primary data sequence. ### Can I export the sorted data in formats other than CSV? Yes, you can choose to output your sorted data as a CSV file, JSON format, or a summary report. ### Is the header row preserved? Yes, the tool includes an option to include the header row, ensuring your column labels remain at the top of the dataset. ## Related tools - [CSV Filter](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/csv-filter): Filter CSV data by column values with multiple conditions and operators. Supports 12 filter operators including equals, contains, greater_than, less_than, and empty value checks. Additional Filters examples: \[{"column": "age", "operator": "greater_than", "value": "25"}\] \[{"column": "status", "operator": "equals", "value": "active"}, {"column": "score", "operator": "greater_equal", "value": "80"}\] \[{"column": "name", "operator": "contains", "value": "john"}, {"column": "email", "operator": "is_not_empty"}\] - [CSV File Merger](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/csv-merger): Merge multiple CSV files into a single file with options for header handling and deduplication - [CSV Transformer](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/csv-transformer): Transform and process CSV data with column operations, calculations, and data type conversions. Supports renaming columns, adding calculated columns, removing columns, converting data types, calculating values, and filtering rows. Operation examples: • Rename column: \[{"type": "rename", "column": "old_name", "new_name": "new_name"}\] • Add calculated column: \[{"type": "add_column", "new_column": "total", "formula": "price * quantity"}\] • Remove column: \[{"type": "remove_column", "remove_column": "column_to_remove"}\] • Convert data type: \[{"type": "convert_type", "convert_column": "age", "target_type": "number"}\] • Calculate values: \[{"type": "calculate", "target_column": "total", "expression": "price * tax + shipping"}\] • Filter rows: \[{"type": "filter_values", "filter_column": "status", "operator": "equals", "value": "active"}\] - [Time Series Anomaly Detector](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/time-series-anomaly-detector): Upload CSV or JSON time series data, detect anomalies with Z-Score and IQR methods, and return a chart-backed report - [TXT File Merger](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/txt-merger): Merge multiple text files with various strategies (concatenate, interleave, etc.) - [CSV Deduplicate Rows](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/csv-deduplicate-rows): Upload a CSV file or paste CSV text, remove duplicate rows using exact or fuzzy matching, and download a cleaned CSV. - [CSV / Excel Diff Tool](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/csv-excel-diff-tool): Compare two CSV or XLSX datasets and export a PDF report with row, column, and cell-level differences - [Mock Data Prefix / Abbreviation Conflict Detector](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/mock-data-naming-conflict-detector): Detect visually confusing field names and prefix collisions in CSV, JSON, or schema inputs, then suggest clearer renames ## Samples - [CSV Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/csv-samples): Sample CSV files with various data types, sizes, and complexity levels - [Python Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/python): Essential Python code examples and Hello World demonstrations - [Windows String Processing - C# Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/windows-string-processing-csharp): Comprehensive C# string processing examples for Windows platform including string manipulation, splitting, joining, regex operations, and text analysis - [Time Zone Workflow Scheduler ICS Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/time-zone-workflow-scheduler-ics-samples): ICS files generated in the same structure returned by the Time Zone Workflow Scheduler, with multiple VEVENT meeting candidates exported from overlap windows ## Related content - [CSV Cleanup, Reshaping, and Delivery Workflow](https://elysiatools.com/en/hubs/csv-utility): Inspect CSV structure, keep the right columns, reshape rows, compare outputs, and split final files for dependable imports or reporting.