> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://guides.noloco.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://guides.noloco.io/views/sort-and-limit.md). # Sort & limit {% embed url="" %} Most views work better when records are ordered consistently — alphabetically by name, by most recent date, by status, and so on. And once you've got more than a few dozen records, you'll usually want to control how many appear on screen at once and how users move beyond that limit. In this guide: * [Sort records](#sorting-records) by a particular field (e.g. alphabetically A–Z) * [Set a record limit](#record-limit-and-loading-more) for the view * Choose how users load more records: **On scroll**, **Load button**, or **Pagination** (Arrows or Numbered) * Read the **record count** in the action bar * Sort the order of groups when [grouping records](/views/display/grouping-records.md) ## Sorting records Sort the view by any field on the table. Common patterns: * Text fields → A–Z or Z–A * Number fields → ascending or descending * Date fields → newest or oldest first * Single-select fields → by option order (handy for status columns) You can add multiple sort rules; the first rule takes priority and subsequent rules act as tie-breakers.
When the view is [grouped](/views/display/grouping-records.md), the same sort settings apply within each group. ## Record limit and loading more Set a **record limit** to cap how many records load up front. The limit applies per view, or per column / group when the view is split into [Kanban columns](/views/display/kanban-boards.md) or grouped lanes. The **Loading more records** selector controls how users get past that limit: * **On scroll** — auto-loads the next batch of records as the user scrolls towards the bottom of the view. Best for long lists where you want the experience to feel seamless. * **Load button** — shows a **Load more** button at the end of the list with a loading state. Best when you want users to opt in to loading more (for example, on slower data sources). * **Pagination** — splits the records into pages the user steps through using controls in the action bar. Pick one of two pagination styles: * **Arrows** — left/right chevrons in the action bar. * **Numbered** — numbered page buttons (with an ellipsis after the first few when there are many pages). The chosen style is reflected in the action bar's pagination controls and in the **record count** beside them. ### Record count in the action bar The action bar always shows the count of records currently loaded versus the total available — for example, **"Showing 25 of 240"**. When the view is filtered (either by an admin filter or by [in-app filters](/views/filter-fields.md)), the wording switches to **"Showing 25 of 87 results"** so users know they're looking at a filtered total. ### Choosing a default A few rules of thumb: * **Short, stable lists** — set a generous limit and pick **On scroll** so users barely notice. * **Large datasets where users tend to drill down** — use **Pagination** so users keep a sense of where they are. * **Heavy fields per record** (images, long text, many relationships) — use **Load button** to avoid loading everything by default. {% hint style="info" %} Lifting the record limit too high on very large tables disables live updates on that view, because re-rendering every record on each change becomes expensive. If you need both no limit *and* live updates, prefer **On scroll** or **Load button** so records load in batches. {% endhint %} ## Sorting groups When the view is grouped by a field (see [Grouping records](/views/display/grouping-records.md)), an extra **Sort groups** option appears. This controls the order of the groups themselves — independent of the per-record sort you've set above. For single-select group fields, you can keep the option's own order (the order set on the field) or sort alphabetically. For other group fields, sort A–Z / Z–A or by count. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://guides.noloco.io/views/sort-and-limit.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.