Notion Database Property Cannot Be Sorted: Why and Workaround

You added a new property to your Notion database, but when you click the column header, the sort option is grayed out or missing entirely. This happens because Notion restricts sorting on certain property types, such as Rollups, Formulas, and some advanced relation fields. This article explains which properties cannot be sorted, why Notion enforces this limitation, and the exact workaround to get the data organized the way you need.

Why Notion Blocks Sorting on Certain Property Types

Notion databases are built on a structured data model where each property has a defined type. Sorting works by comparing raw values stored directly in the database. Some property types do not store a simple, sortable value. Instead, they compute or reference values from other rows or databases at query time.

The three property types that cannot be sorted are:

• Rollup: Aggregates values from a related database using a function like Sum, Average, or Count. The result is computed on the fly and cannot be sorted.
• Formula: Returns a calculated value based on other properties in the same row. The result is computed at render time.
• Relation: Links to one or more rows in another database. The relation itself is a reference, not a sortable value. Sorting by a relation column is not supported.

For Rollups and Formulas, the limitation exists because the underlying value is not stored as a static cell. For Relations, the limitation exists because a single relation can contain multiple linked rows, and Notion cannot determine a single sort order. This behavior is by design and applies to all Notion plans, including Free, Plus, Business, and Enterprise.

Workaround: Use a Formula Property to Enable Sorting

To sort by a value that comes from a Rollup or a Formula, you must create a new Formula property that extracts a simple, sortable value. This workaround does not work for Relation properties because they do not contain a single numeric or text value.

Step 1: Identify the Unsorted Property

1. Open the database
   Navigate to the Notion page containing the database with the unsortable property.
2. Locate the property column
   Find the column header that is grayed out in the sort menu. Common examples are Rollup columns like “Total Sales” or Formula columns like “Status Color.”

Step 2: Create a New Formula Property

1. Click the plus sign in the last column header
   A dropdown menu appears with property types.
2. Select Formula
   Name the new property something descriptive, for example “Sort Helper.”
3. Write a formula that extracts the value
   If you need to sort by a Rollup that returns a number, use a formula like prop("Total Sales"). If the Rollup returns text, use prop("Project Name"). Notion will now store this value as a static computed field that can be sorted.

Step 3: Apply Sort to the New Formula Column

1. Click the three-dot menu in the top-right of the database view
   Select Sort from the dropdown.
2. Click Add a sort
   A new sort rule appears.
3. Select the new Formula property
   Choose “Sort Helper” from the property list. Set the order to Ascending or Descending.
4. Click Done
   The database now sorts by the value extracted from the original unsortable property.

Step 4: Hide the Original Unsortable Column (Optional)

1. Click the column header of the original Rollup or Formula property
   A dropdown menu appears.
2. Select Hide
   The column is removed from the view but the data remains in the database. The new Formula column now serves as the sortable version.

If You Still Cannot Sort After the Workaround

The new Formula column still shows as unsortable

Ensure the Formula property references only properties that exist in the same database. If the Formula references a Rollup that itself references a Relation, the Formula may still be considered unsortable. In that case, create a Formula that extracts the Rollup value directly without going through another Formula.

Sorting by a Relation property

The workaround does not apply to Relation properties. To sort by a value in a related database, add a Formula property in the related database that returns the value you need, then use a Rollup in the current database to pull that value, and finally create a Formula property in the current database that extracts the Rollup. This chain lets you sort by a value that originates from a related database.

Sort order resets after page reload

This is a rare bug. Delete the sort rule and create it again. If the issue persists, duplicate the database view and apply the sort on the duplicate.

Notion Property Types: Sortable vs Unsortable

Property Type	Sortable Directly	Workaround Available
Text	Yes	N/A
Number	Yes	N/A
Select	Yes	N/A
Multi-select	Yes	N/A
Date	Yes	N/A
Person	Yes	N/A
Checkbox	Yes	N/A
URL	Yes	N/A
Email	Yes	N/A
Phone	Yes	N/A
Formula	No	Yes (create new Formula)
Rollup	No	Yes (create new Formula)
Relation	No	No (use Rollup + Formula chain)

You now know why Notion blocks sorting on Rollup, Formula, and Relation properties and how to work around the limitation for Rollups and Formulas. For Relation properties, use a Rollup to pull a value from the related database and then create a Formula property to extract that value for sorting. Next time you build a database, plan your property types so that the columns you need to sort are Text, Number, Select, or Date. An advanced tip: use a Formula property that returns a number based on a Rollup, then sort by that number column to get consistent results across all views.