Currently by default if you create a drop-down column based on another table via ‘Lookup From Table’, the drop-down menu is in order of Row ID (essentially order of creation). Is there a way to change this? Simply changing the sort mode of the original table has no effect. In most scenarios you want the drop-down to be alphabetical for easy searching.
Adding a sort option to Lookup would be great. Will add this to our feedback tracker!
You can workaroud this by using Select list and using Sort() in the formula there but this is different from a lookup (where you get @refs in your column)
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I am wondering, if there is an option to lookup in the list in Table 6, sort the list in Table 7 and at the same time have the option to enter new item to the list by typing it in Table 7.Column 2?
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Hey all,
I find the lack of option to sort the dropdown menu of “lookups” and “select” types quite a deal breaker for solid implementation of Coda with large amount of data.
I am trying to accomplish the kind of stuff as described below but with many things (hundreds) and many locations (hundreds). So sorting is essential to find stuff efficiently.
This is how I want it really to be. The cells with small arrows on the right being lookups and the grayed ones are automated by formulas.
Problem is the dropdown menu of the lookups is not sorted according to alphabet but according to the creation order.
The workaround using sorted lists fields and described earlier in this thread works.
list is indeed sorted
BUT now the columns based on formulas referring to the lookup are screwed !!!
Coda doc is here
Has anybody any idea how to make this work properly ?
@mallika any news about the sort feature being implemented in the dropdowns ?
Thank you all !!
Hi Rolando, the issue here is a type mismatch. You’re trying to compare a Text value with a Column.
See this thread to understand.
The simplest way to fix your doc here is to change the Select List to fetch the row references THINGS instead of the text only. Note that this also solves the all owners problem you had.
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Thanks @Dalmo_Mendonca !!
You’re a beast 
And so basically, a select list type with a formula =[TABLE].sort( ) is exactly a sorted lookup type ?
Pretty much. Apparently, Sort() with no arguments uses ascending and the Display Column by default, but in some cases you may have to explicitly pass the args (https://coda.io/formulas#Sort).
The Sort() function works for lookups from List, but does not seem to be an option for lookup from Table. Can anyone provide some advise? Thanks.
Hi @mallika has there been any update on the sort option to lookups feature? I’m not sure the options here work for my use case.
I’m trying to create a table (“Summary”) that allows users to select a list of “Priority Initiatives” from another table (“Initiatives”). Each initiative has 1+ owners, a status, and other attributes. I want to display the Summary Table in detail view and then have the Priority Initiatives show as an embedded table that includes columns for the Initiative, owner, due date, etc. So the embedded Priority Initiatives table would show one initiative/row. When users add rows they can select the priority from a drop down. It works well implemented as a lookup, but the dropdown is not in order.
Using a select list works to sort the order of the drop down, but I don’t see how I can set up the table within a table view this way?
Can anyone help me set this up so I can have the display look like the first screenshot but with the dropdown list sorted?