Configure how cards are ordered within their groups and swimlane cells.
Overview
Sorting determines the order of cards when they occupy the same board position. You can sort by multiple fields to create a prioritized ordering.
Accessing Sorting Settings
Sorting is configured in the General Settings section of the sidebar:
- In the sidebar, expand General Settings
- The Order subsection shows current sorting dimensions
- Use the controls to add, remove, or reorder sort fields
Adding Sort Fields
- Click Add dimension
- Select a Jira field (e.g., Status, Priority, Due Date)
- Configure the sort direction
Cards are sorted by the first field, then by subsequent fields for ties.
Sort Direction
Each sort field can be ordered:
| Direction | Icon | Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Ascending | ↑ | A→Z, low→high, oldest→newest |
| Descending | ↓ | Z→A, high→low, newest→oldest |
Click the direction icon to toggle.
Multi-Field Sorting
Add multiple fields to create compound sorting:
Example:
- Status (ascending) — workflow order
- Priority (descending) — highest first
- Created (ascending) — oldest first
Cards are first sorted by Status. Cards with the same Status are then sorted by Priority. Cards with the same Status and Priority are sorted by Created date.
Business Logic Detection
Board Studio automatically detects how fields should be sorted:
| Field type | Detected logic | Sort behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Workflow | To Do → In Progress → Done |
| Priority | Priority | Highest → Lowest (or reverse) |
| Due Date | Date | Chronological order |
| Story Points | Numeric | Numerical order |
| Assignee | Alphabetical | A→Z order |
| Custom select | Option | Configured option order |
An icon next to each field indicates the detected logic:
| Icon | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ⚙️ | Workflow ordering |
| ⬆️ | Priority ordering |
| 📅 | Date ordering |
| 🔢 | Numeric ordering |
| 🔤 | Alphabetical ordering |
| ☰ | Option ordering |
Default Sorting
When no sorting is configured:
- No default dimensions are applied
- Users must manually add sorting fields via the Add Dimension button
- Cards appear in the order returned by the layout algorithm
Reordering Sort Fields
Change the priority of sort fields:
- Drag a field by its handle
- Drop it in the new position
- The primary sort is now the topmost field
Removing Sort Fields
- Hover over the sort field row
- Click the delete icon (🗑️)
- The field is removed from sorting
Sorting and Layout
Sorting affects card arrangement within the graph layout:
- Cards in the same group or swimlane cell are positioned according to sort order
- The layout algorithm respects sort order when placing cards
- Changing sort order triggers a smooth 800ms layout animation
Examples
Sprint Planning Board
Sort to see incomplete work by priority:
- Status (ascending) — see To Do items first
- Priority (descending) — see highest priority first
Bug Triage
Sort to see oldest, most severe bugs:
- Priority (descending) — most severe first
- Created (ascending) — oldest first
Story Point Estimation
Sort to see unestimated work:
- Story Points (ascending) — unestimated (0) first
- Priority (descending) — prioritize high-value items