You can control the order in which master data information appears in Business Central by setting a sorting level on your information codes and information values. By default, everything is created with sorting level 99, which means the values display in no particular sequence. By changing the sorting level, you decide exactly which information shows up first, which comes next, and which lands at the bottom.
A lower sorting level appears first. Set a value to 5 and it moves to the top. Set a value higher than 99 and it moves to the end. This applies both to the order of information codes on an item and to the values inside an information value list when you drill down.
How sorting levels work on item information codes
When you view an item and open its specifications, every information code is set to sorting level 99 by default. The same applies to the information value behind each code. As long as everything shares the same level, there is no defined order.
To change the order, you adjust the sorting level on the individual information codes. For example, if you want gender to appear as the first entity on your items, you set its sorting level to 5. If you want the bike type to come next, you set that to 10. And if you always want the tire type to be the last entity, you give it a sorting level higher than 99.
After saving these changes, whenever you open the information from any item, the codes appear in your chosen order: gender first, then bike type, and tire type at the end.
Sorting values inside an information value list
The same logic applies when you drill down into an information value list. Inside a single information code you might have values such as inches, millimeters, colors, or sizes. This is where sorting levels become especially useful when you have many values.
Sizes are a good example. If you sort alphabetically, “extra small” ends up near the bottom while “small” appears before it, which makes no sense to anyone reading the list. By assigning sorting levels to the size values, you can present them in a logical sequence that people actually understand.
Setting it up yourself
This is configuration you can handle on your own. You set the sorting levels once, and from then on both your information codes and the drill-down value lists display in the order you defined. The result is master data that is easier to read and work with across your items.
Q&A
What is the default sorting level for master data information in Business Central?
The default sorting level is 99 for both information codes and information values. With everything set to 99, the values appear in no particular order.
How do I make a specific information code appear first?
Give it a lower sorting level. For example, set the sorting level to 5 to move it to the top of the list, since lower numbers appear first.
How do I make an information code appear last?
Set its sorting level to a number higher than 99. Anything above 99 moves to the end of the list.
Does sorting also work when I drill down into an information value list?
Yes. The same sorting levels apply inside an information value list, so you can order values like sizes, colors, inches, or millimeters in a logical sequence rather than alphabetically.
Can I configure these sorting levels myself?
Yes. Setting sorting levels on information codes and information values is configuration you can do on your own.