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How to Sort Grouped Days Chronologically in Microsoft Lists

Elise Williams Oct 7, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs a way to sort grouped days of the week chronologically in Microsoft Lists, as the default setting only allows alphabetical sorting.

How to Sort Grouped Days Chronologically in Microsoft Lists

Product: Microsoft Lists
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Grouping and sorting list items by days of the week in a standard list view.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Lists groups the days alphabetically (Friday, Monday, Thursday, Tuesday, Wednesday) instead of in chronological order.

Before you start

Ensure you have the necessary edit permissions for the Microsoft List to modify column settings and adjust view configurations.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Number Prefixes for Days of the Week

Since standard views lack custom sorting, adding a numeric prefix to your choices forces the alphabetical sort to match the chronological order.

This is the most straightforward workaround for standard list views without requiring coding knowledge. By prefixing the day with its corresponding number in the week, the default alphabetical sort will align with the chronological order.

Edit the Column Settings

Navigate to your Microsoft List, click on the column header containing the days of the week, and select 'Column settings' followed by 'Edit'.

Rename the Choices

Update your choice values to include a number prefix. For example, change 'Monday' to '1-Monday', 'Tuesday' to '2-Tuesday', and so on.

Apply Ascending Sort

Save the changes. When you group by this column and apply a standard ascending sort, the list will now display the days in chronological order based on the numbers.

Use Number Prefixes for Days of the Week

Easy Implementation: This method immediately fixes the visual grouping order for all users without needing complex backend customizations.

Solution 2

Apply Custom JSON Formatting

Use SharePoint's JSON view formatting for a more advanced customization if you cannot change the underlying text data.

Solution 3

Submit Feedback to Microsoft

Request native support for custom group ordering directly from Microsoft's development team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Microsoft Lists sort days of the week alphabetically by default?

Microsoft Lists treats standard text and choice columns as basic text strings. Therefore, it applies standard alphabetical (ascending or descending) logic without recognizing the words as chronological days of the week.

Can I sort days chronologically without changing the text in my Microsoft List?

In the standard out-of-the-box view settings, no. You must either alter the text (e.g., adding numeric prefixes like '1-Monday') or use advanced JSON view formatting to override the default display behavior.

Where can I get help with JSON formatting for Microsoft Lists?

You can find solutions and ask questions regarding custom JSON formatting by visiting the Microsoft Q&A platform and searching under the 'SharePoint Development' tag.

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