Collection Sorting: A Complete Guide

Appraisal Scribe offers flexible sorting options to help you organize your collections efficiently. Whether you're working with a small focused collection or a large diverse estate inventory, these tools allow you to arrange properties in the way that best suits your needs.

Manual Sorting

When to Use Manual Sorting

Choose the Manual Sort option if you prefer to arrange the properties yourself. This allows you to drag and drop items into the exact order you want, giving you full control over the arrangement.

Manual sorting is ideal when:

• You want to arrange properties in a custom order that doesn't follow alphabetical or categorical rules
• You're preparing a presentation or report where specific sequencing matters
• You need to group related items together in a way that automatic sorting can't achieve

How to Use Manual Sorting

1. Navigate to the Collection tab in your appraisal
2. Click on Collection Sort
3. From the dropdown menu, select Manual Sort
4. Click on the drag handles next to any property in your collection
5. Drag the property to its new position
6. Release to drop the property in place
7. Repeat as needed to arrange all properties in your desired order

Check out our tutorial Manual sorting

Your manual sort order will be saved automatically and will remain in place until you choose a different sorting method or manually rearrange items again.

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Automatic Sorting

Automatic sorting instantly organizes your entire collection based on a single field, saving you time and ensuring consistency.

How to Use Automatic Sorting

1. Navigate to the Collection tab in your appraisal
2. Click on Collection Settings 
3. Click on Collection Sort
4. From the dropdown menu, select your preferred sorting option (see Available Sorting options)  
5. Your collection will immediately reorganize based on your selection

Available Sorting Options

You can automatically sort your collection by:

• Location - Arranges properties by their physical location (living room, den)
• Artist/Maker - Orders properties alphabetically by the artist or maker's name
• Type of Object - Groups properties by their object type (paintings, furniture, glass, etc.)
• Medium/material (e.g. bronze, wood)
• Date/Period (e.g. 19th century, Georgian Period)
• Title/Subject  - Organizes properties by alphabetically by title or subject (e.g Whistler's Mother, "Landscape")
• Valuation

The automatic sort selected will remain active until you choose different sorting category. If you add new properties to your collection, they will automatically be placed according to your current sort setting.

Note: if you select Type of Object or other sort categories, artist biographies will appear at the end of the property list rather than in front of the property associated with that artist.

Primary and Secondary Sorting

Primary and Secondary sorting is the most powerful organizational tool in Appraisal Scribe. It allows you to create a two-tiered structure: first grouping properties by a major category, then ordering items within each group by a secondary criterion.

When to Use Primary and Secondary Sorting

This advanced sorting method is particularly valuable when:

• You're appraising diverse collections with multiple object categories
• You need to organize estate inventories containing various types of property
• You want to group similar items together while maintaining a specific order within each group
• You're preparing reports that require professional categorization and sub-organizatio

How to Set Up Primary and Secondary Sorting

1. Navigate to the Collection tab in your appraisal
2. Click on Collection Settings
3. Under Primary Sort, click the dropdown menu
4. Select the field you want to use for your main groupings (e.g., Type of Object)
5. Under Secondary Sort, click the dropdown menu
6. Select the field you want to use for ordering within each group (e.g., Artist/Maker)
7. Click Apply or Save (if required)
8. Your collection will reorganize according to your primary and secondary criteria

Practical Examples

Example 1: Estate Inventory

• Primary Sort: Type of Object
• Secondary Sort: Period/Date
• Result: All furniture grouped together and ordered chronologically; all paintings grouped together and ordered chronologically; etc.

Example 2: Gallery Collection

• Primary Sort: Artist/Maker
• Secondary Sort: Title
• Result: All works by each artist grouped together, with individual works listed alphabetically by title within each artist's group

Example 3: Insurance Appraisal

• Primary Sort: Location
• Secondary Sort: Type of Object
• Result: All items from the living room together, organized by type (furniture, art, decorative objects); all items from the dining room together, organized by type; etc.

Example 4: Auction House Inventory

• Primary Sort: Type of Object
• Secondary Sort: Artist/Maker
• Result: All paintings together, ordered alphabetically by artist; all sculpture together, ordered alphabetically by artist; etc.

Changing Your Primary and Secondary Sort

You can modify your sorting criteria at any time:

1. Return to Collection Settings
2. Select new options from either the Primary Sort or Secondary Sort dropdown menus
3. Your collection will automatically reorganize based on the new criteria

Tips for Effective Use

• Consider your end goal: Think about how you want to present the collection in your final report
• Match your workflow: Choose primary and secondary sorts that align with how you naturally assess and document items
• Test different combinations: Try various primary/secondary combinations to find what works best for each collection type
• Stay consistent: Once you find a sorting structure that works for a particular appraisal type, use it consistently for similar projects

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will my sorting preferences be saved?
A: Yes, your current sort settings remain active for each collection until you change them.

Q: What happens to my sort order when I add new properties?
A: New properties will automatically be placed according to your current sorting method. For automatic or primary/secondary sorting, they'll slot into the appropriate position. For manual sorting, new items typically appear at the end and can be dragged to your preferred position.

Q: Can I use primary and secondary sorting with the same field twice?
A: While the system may allow it, using the same field for both primary and secondary sort wouldn't provide any organizational benefit. The secondary sort would have no effect since items are already grouped by that field.

Q: Does sorting affect how my appraisal report appears?
A: Yes, the order of items in your collection typically reflects how they'll appear in your generated reports. Check your report settings to confirm how collection order translates to report output.

Q: Can I return to my manual sort order after using automatic sorting?
A: If you switch from manual to automatic sorting, your previous manual arrangement is replaced. You would need to manually reorder items again if you want to return to a custom sequence.

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Need More Help?

If you have further questions about collection sorting or need assistance with a specific organizational challenge, please contact our support team.