> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.raycaster.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Filtering and Sorting

> Learn how to filter and sort data effectively in Raycaster AI Workspace

## Using Filters to Find What You Need

Filters help you quickly find specific information in your sheets by showing only rows that match your criteria. This is especially helpful when working with large datasets.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/raycaster/NkwkAu8IAZ9zTAYr/images/filtering.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=NkwkAu8IAZ9zTAYr&q=85&s=b1c82f67fba184846277bbd9f0c7e6ff" alt="Filtering Overview" class="rounded-lg border border-gray-200 dark:border-gray-700" title="" width="502" height="438" data-path="images/filtering.png" />

## Creating Basic Filters

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Filter Panel">
    Click the "Filter" button in the toolbar to open the filter panel
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Filter Condition">
    Configure your filter by selecting:

    * **Column**: Choose which column to filter on
    * **Operation**: Select the comparison operation
    * **Value**: Enter the value to compare against
  </Step>

  <Step title="Apply Filter">
    Click "Apply" to filter your data
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Create "Group filters" to combine groups of different filters together within a group
</Note>

## AI Natural Language Filtering

Raycaster's AI assistant can help you create complex filters using natural language queries. Instead of manually configuring multiple filter conditions, simply describe what you're looking for in plain English.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Access AI Filtering">
    Click the filter button. then select "AI" from the options
  </Step>

  <Step title="Describe Your Filter">
    Type your filtering request in natural language. For example:

    * "Show me companies in biotech with more than 100 employees"
    * "Filter for people who work at startups founded after 2020"
    * "Show only companies that have raised funding in the last year"
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review and Apply">
    The AI will translate your request into the appropriate filter conditions and apply them automatically

    <Check>
      You can review the generated filters in the filter panel and modify them if needed.
    </Check>
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Try to be specific in your natural language queries. The more detail you provide about what you're looking for, the more accurate the AI-generated filters will be.
</Tip>

### Natural Language Filter Examples

Here are some examples of effective natural language filter queries:

* **Industry and Size**: "Show technology companies with over 500 employees"
* **Location and Funding**: "Filter for startups in California that have raised Series A funding"
* **Date Ranges**: "Show companies founded between 2018 and 2022"
* **Multiple Criteria**: "Find biotech companies in Boston with female CEOs and over \$10M in funding"
* **Exclusions**: "Show all companies except those in the finance industry"

<Note>
  The AI assistant learns from your data structure and column names to provide more accurate filtering suggestions over time.
</Note>

### Combining Filters

For more complex filtering needs, you can combine multiple filter conditions:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Add Multiple Conditions">
    After creating your first filter, click "Add Filter" to add more conditions
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set Condition Relationship">
    Choose how the conditions relate to each other:

    * **AND**: All conditions must be met (default)
    * **OR**: Any condition can be met
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create Filter Groups">
    For even more complex logic:

    * Click "Add Group" to create a nested group of conditions
    * Groups can have their own AND/OR relationship
    * You can combine groups with individual conditions
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Filter Logic Examples

Example of combining filters with AND logic:

* Column "Industry" contains "biotech" AND
* Column "Funding" is greater than "5000000" AND
* Column "Country" equals "United States"

This would show only biotech companies in the United States with more than \$5M in funding.

Example of combining filters with OR logic:

* Column "Industry" contains "biotech" OR
* Column "Industry" contains "pharma" OR
* Column "Industry" contains "medical devices"

This would show companies from any of these three industries.

## Clearing Filters

To remove filters and return to viewing all data:

1. Click the "Filter" button in the toolbar to open the filter panel
2. Click "Clear All" to remove all filters
3. Alternatively, click the "X" next to individual filters to remove them selectively

## Sorting Data

Sorting helps you organize your data in a meaningful order, making it easier to analyze and understand patterns.

## Basic Sorting

To sort by a single column:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Click Column Header">
    Click directly on the column header you want to sort by

    * First click: Sort ascending (A→Z, 1→9)
    * Second click: Sort descending (Z→A, 9→1)
    * Third click: Remove sorting
  </Step>

  <Step title="View Sort Indicator">
    An arrow appears in the column header showing the sort direction

    * ↑ indicates ascending sort
    * ↓ indicates descending sort
  </Step>
</Steps>

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/raycaster/dEhs8Du7OeRsZOdB/images/sort.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=dEhs8Du7OeRsZOdB&q=85&s=7d715966b205fb84e6e2c81df19ca9cc" alt="Sort Indicators" class="rounded-lg border border-gray-200 dark:border-gray-700" width="370" height="294" data-path="images/sort.png" />

## Combining Filters and Sorts

Filters and sorts work together to help you pinpoint exactly the data you need:

1. First apply filters to narrow down to the specific data subset you're interested in
2. Then apply sorting to organize that filtered data in a meaningful way
3. Both filters and sorts remain active until you clear them

### Example Combined Workflow

A typical workflow might look like:

1. Filter companies to only show those in the pharmaceutical industry
2. Further filter to include only those with funding over \$10M
3. Sort these filtered companies by employee count (descending)
4. Add a secondary sort by founded date (newest first)

This gives you a view of the largest, newest pharmaceutical companies with significant funding