This database management tool is a type of sort operation that uses more than two data fields in order to determine the order of records. In a normal sort, data may be arranged by Last Name, while in a multilevel sort, it could be ordered by Last Name as well as First Name. The secondary sorting level only takes effect if the primary one has identical results.
Technipages Explains Multilevel Sort
If a database is sorted by Last Name and First Name, Schultz would be above Smith, but if there are two Smiths, the second level sort takes. Albert Smith would be sorted above Steven Smith in this example. Multilevel sorts can use more than one or two sort levels as well – if there are two Albert Smiths, a third level might rank them either by age or middle name, or something similar. This means that by using more than one level of sorting, the user can make sure that their results match their requirements as closely as possible.
Depending on the nature of the database, they might sort by ascending or descending numbers, by words or even dates – any type of search or field can be used in a search and thus be part of a multilevel sort. Some database software restricts how many levels can be sorted by in order to make sure that sorting runs quickly and doesn’t use up unnecessary resources. Programs like Excel and similar ones often limit to 3 levels of searching. Dedicated database software, on the other hand, does not limit how many levels multilevel sorting can cover.
Common Uses of Multilevel Sort
- Multilevel sorting is a database management tool.
- Combining multiple fields in one sort is called multilevel sorting.
- Multilevel sorting can help clarify search results while also increasing their accuracy.
Common Misuses of Multilevel Sort
- Multilevel sorting is another form of multilevel marketing.
