---
sourceDocument: Australia ServiceNow AI Platform Administration
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/platform-administration
Release :
- australia
ft:locale :
- en-US
ft:publication_title :
- Australia ServiceNow AI Platform Administration
ft:clusterId :
- platadm
bundleId :
- platadm
workflow :
- Platform
---
# Sort Option form
# Sort Option form {#ariaid-title1}
Release version: Australia
Updated September 10, 2026
 2 minutes to read
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## Summary of Sort Option form
The Sort Option form allows ServiceNow customers to create and configure search result sort options within AI Search application configurations.
These sort options determine how search results are ordered based on specific fields, enhancing the search experience by enabling users to sort results meaningfully.
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## Key Features
* **Label:** Defines the display name of the sort option in the search application's sort menu, making it clear and user-friendly.
* **Sort Field:** Specifies the source table field or common AI Search index field used to sort search results. Supported formats include:
* **Qualified field names:** Use \[indexedsourcetablename\].\[fieldname\], for example, *kbknowledge.author*, to sort by a specific field from a source table.
* **Unqualified common index fields:** Use common fields like *title* or *language* to sort results based on these values.
Important details:
* The parent search application configuration must include a linked search profile with a source derived from the specified indexed source table; otherwise, saving will trigger an error.
* Sorting can be applied on parent table fields, which also includes child table field values, and uniquely on child table fields by specifying the parent table qualifier.
* Only date, number, or string fields are supported; unsupported field types will cause an error upon saving.
* **Application:** Automatically set to define the application scope for the sort option.
* **Ascending:** Option to display results in ascending order; unchecking defaults to descending order.
* **Active:** Enables or disables the sort option for use within the search application.
## Practical Implications for ServiceNow Customers
By configuring sort options through this form, customers can tailor search result ordering to better meet user needs and improve search relevance within AI Search applications. Proper configuration ensures users can sort results by meaningful fields such as author, title, or custom table fields. Adhering to the specified formats and ensuring index sources align with the search profile will prevent configuration errors.
The Sort Option form enables you to create a search result sort option in the search application configuration for an AI Search application.
For details on creating or editing search result sort options, see [Search result sort options in AI Search application configurations](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/jlz0y5zM0GNiRWbsCh6Mjg#sort-options-srch-app-cfg-ais "A search result sort option enables users to display search results in an order determined by their field values. Applying a search result sort option overrides the default AI Search relevancy-based result order. You can define custom search result sort options for your AI Search applications.").
{#sort-option-form-ais__table_f2c_t4r_grb__entry__2}
| Field | Description |
|-|-|
| Label | Label displayed for the search result sort option in the search application's sort menu. |
| Sort Field | Name of a source table field or common index field that the sort option uses to sort search results. The sort field can be a date, number, or string field. Note: If you specify a sort field of an unsupported type, an error message appears when you attempt to save the sort option. Supports the following formats: Qualified [indexed_source_table_name].[field_name] entry : Sort search results on their values from the specified table's field. For example, enter kb_knowledge.author to sort search results by their Author field values. Note: The parent search application configuration's linked search profile must include a search source derived from the specified indexed source table. If this condition isn't met, an error message appears when you attempt to save the sort option. Unqualified common index field name : Sort search results on their values from the specified common AI Search index field. For example, enter title to sort search results based on their titles, or language to sort search results based on their language. The [indexed_source_table_name] qualifier must be the name of a table specified in an indexed source. Don't specify indexed source child table names for this qualifier. Special cases include: Sorting on parent table fields : If you specify an indexed source parent table's field in a sort option, AI Search includes values from the same field on child tables from the indexed source. For example, suppose you create an indexed source for custom table Parent \[u_parent\] which is extended by custom table Child \[u_child\], and then specify u_parent.author as the field for a sort option. When a user applies the sort option, AI Search uses both u_parent.author and u_child.author field values to sort the search result list. Sorting on child table fields : You can specify a field that's unique to an indexed source's child table as a sort option field. Continuing the previous example, if your Child \[u_child\] table includes an Editor field that's not present on the Parent \[u_parent\] table, you can define u_parent.editor as a sort option field to sort search result s using this field's values. Note: Be sure to specify the parent table's name as the qualifier, not the child table's name. |
| Application | Application scope for the search result sort option. This field is automatically set. |
| Ascending | Option to make the search result sort option display results in ascending order (a to z). Clear this option to make the search result sort option display results in descending order (z to a). |
| Active | Option to activate the search result sort option for use in the search application. |
[Table 1. Sort Option form]
{#sort-option-form-ais__table_f2c_t4r_grb}