WPS Sort on macOS helps you quickly organize collaborative spreadsheet data by column values; this guide covers 3 core tasks, with 3 available without membership and 0 membership-related items.
At a Glance
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Core tasks | 3 | Matches the number of rows in the How-to Index |
| Available without membership | 3 | Matches the number of Free rows in the index |
| Membership-related items | 0 | Matches the number of membership-related rows in the index |
About This Feature
Overview
Sort is a built-in spreadsheet feature in WPS Office for macOS that rearranges rows in a collaborative sheet based on selected criteria, making it easier for teams to review ordered data and continue editing.
Core capabilities include:
- Quick Sort: Sort the current column in ascending or descending order for fast review of text, numbers, or dates.
- Custom Sort: Set a primary key, sort basis, order, and multiple levels for more complex data organization.
- More Settings: Adjust details such as sorting by row or by column, and case-sensitive sorting.
This feature is useful for project trackers, shared contact lists, and collaborative data review. Before sorting, confirm the data range and header settings so related row data stays aligned.
System Requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating system | A macOS device that can run WPS Office normally |
| App version | It is recommended to use the latest version of WPS Office for Mac |
| Network | Local sorting does not require a network connection; collaborative syncing and version recovery require internet access |
| Other | It is recommended to sign in to a WPS account and make sure you have edit permission for the target sheet |
Download & Installation
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official download | WPS Office Free Download |
| Post-install check | Open WPS Spreadsheet, then open a collaborative sheet and confirm that the Sort entry is available on the Data tab |
Source: WPS Download Center
Compare with Alternatives
| Dimension | WPS | Microsoft | Notion | Adobe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capability Summary | Supports ascending, descending, custom sorting, multi-level sorting, and additional settings such as sorting by row or by column and case-sensitive sorting. | Excel supports sorting by text, numbers, dates and times, multiple columns, colors, icons, and custom lists. | Google Sheets supports alphabetical or numerical sorting, adding another sort column, and sorting with filters. | Notion supports sorting database items by properties and changing the order of multiple sorts in a database view. | Acrobat focuses on organizing PDF pages, such as moving or copying pages, rather than sorting spreadsheet data by columns. |
| WPS Advantages | Advantage: WPS combines quick sort, custom sort, and additional sort settings directly in a collaborative spreadsheet workflow on macOS. | Compared with WPS: Excel documents a broader set of sort types, including color, icon, and custom-list sorting, with a stronger focus on analysis-heavy spreadsheet scenarios. | Compared with WPS: Google Sheets supports multiple sort columns and filter-based workflows, but its guidance is centered on browser-style sheet operations. | Compared with WPS: Notion sorting is designed for database properties and views, not a traditional spreadsheet sort dialog. | Compared with WPS: Acrobat is built for PDF page organization, so it does not address collaborative spreadsheet row sorting. |
| Official Source | — | Sort data in a range or table in Excel | Sort & filter your data | Views, filters, sorts & groups | Move or copy pages in PDFs in Acrobat on desktop |
Overall Conclusion
If your main goal is to reorder collaborative spreadsheet data quickly on macOS, WPS provides a direct sorting workflow with quick sort, custom sort, and additional settings in one place. If you need broader format-based sorting or database-style view management, the other products may fit different work scenarios.
Use Cases
| No. | Scenario | Suitable For | Core Pain Point | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sales list cleanup | Sales and operations teams | Contact lists are hard to review in priority order | Use Quick Sort to sort by name, region, or follow-up date |
| 2 | Project task scheduling | Project managers and collaborators | Multi-column task data needs layered organization | Use Custom Sort to set primary and secondary keys |
| 3 | Data review | Finance and admin teams | Header rows may be sorted with data by mistake | Turn on the header option in Custom Sort |
| 4 | Horizontal data checks | Analysts and reporting users | Sorting direction may need to switch between rows and columns | Adjust the sort direction in More Settings |
| 5 | Collaborative sheet cleanup | Team members | Everyone needs to see the same updated order after sorting | Sort in the collaborative sheet and let the result sync through the cloud |
Membership & Benefits
Free vs WPS Premium
| Capability | Free Users | WPS Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Basic spreadsheet sorting | Available for quick sort, custom sort, and additional settings | Available |
| Cloud storage | 1 GB of cloud space | 20 GB of cloud space in listed plans |
| Template downloads | Limited template downloads | Advanced templates or broader template access |
| PDF and extended tools | Access to basic PDF features | More PDF tools and additional advanced capabilities |
Source: WPS Office pricing page
Recommendations
| Use Case | Recommended Plan | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday collaborative sheet sorting | Free | The sorting feature itself is available without membership and covers ascending, descending, and multi-level sorting |
| More cloud storage and broader office features | WPS Premium | Suitable if you also need more storage, templates, and additional office capabilities |
How to Subscribe
- WPS membership center: Subscribe now
Source: WPS Office pricing page