Solving the “Can’t sort on this query type” in CRM Analytics

We enjoy creating neat tables in CRM Analytics and appreciate keeping things simple, both in how they're used and designed.

However, when these tables are converted to SAQL and include bindings or the 'union' function, it often means you can't easily sort them by clicking on the column headers, as shown in the example below.

This might be annoying for users since you can't turn this message off.

What are the options?

You can use custom queries to let users choose which column they want to sort by, and if it's in ascending or descending order. Then, you can use bindings to connect these queries to the table.

This method can be complicated and often makes the query more likely to fail.

The simpler way

What if I told you that your query is actually ready to be sorted without any intermediate steps and bindings?

Use a Repeater widget. With a Repeater widget, users can sort the table without intermediate steps, similar to clicking on the headers.

How does it work?

Just drag the Repeater widget onto the canvas, and then drag your query onto it. Configure the layout. You can make it look very similar to a table (like in the example below), or you can get creative and design it to look even better!

Then, you can configure which fields can be sorted by - you can exclude technical columns which you use for various reasons and that are hidden to the end users.

Now, in preview mode, you can easily choose how to sort without using intermediate steps or complicated bindings.

To verify, you can compare how the standard table performs with this sorting method. It's like magic!

Sure, it's a small detail, but if you want top-notch quality and widespread use, especially in an enterprise setting, you need to focus on things like this.

Remember to look at our other blog posts, which can help you improve your organization's analytics.