---
title: ORDER BY clause
description: Use the ORDER BY clause to sort results by specified columns and order.
url: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/clustered/reference/sql/order-by/
estimated_tokens: 654
publisher: InfluxData
canonical: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/clustered/reference/sql/order-by/
date: '2025-04-03T12:43:17-06:00'
lastmod: '2025-04-03T12:43:17-06:00'
---

The `ORDER BY` clause sort results by specified columns and order.
Sort data based on fields, tags, and timestamps.
The following orders are supported:

* `ASC`: ascending *(default)*

* `DESC`: descending

* [Syntax](#syntax)

* [Examples](#examples)

## Syntax

```sql
[SELECT CLAUSE] [FROM CLAUSE] [ ORDER BY expression [ ASC | DESC ][, …] ]
```

> [!Note]
> **Note:** If your query includes a `GROUP BY` clause, the `ORDER BY` clause
> must appear **after** the `GROUP BY` clause.

## Examples

### Sort data by time with the most recent first

```
SELECT
  "water_level", "time"
FROM
  "h2o_feet"
WHERE
  "location" = 'coyote_creek'  
ORDER BY
  time DESC
```

[](#view-example-results)

View example results

|          time          |water\_level|
|------------------------|------------|
|2019-09-17T16:24:00.000Z|   3.235    |
|2019-09-17T16:18:00.000Z|   3.314    |
|2019-09-17T16:12:00.000Z|   3.402    |
|2019-09-17T16:06:00.000Z|   3.497    |
|2019-09-17T16:00:00.000Z|   3.599    |
|2019-09-17T15:54:00.000Z|   3.704    |

### Sort data by tag or field values

```
SELECT
  "water_level", "time", "location"
FROM
  "h2o_feet"
ORDER BY
  "location", "water_level" DESC
```

### Sort data by selection order

```sql
SELECT
  "location","water_level", "time"
FROM
  "h2o_feet"
ORDER BY
  1, 2
```

[](#view-example-results)

View example results

The query sorts results the location of a column in the `SELECT` statement:
first by `location` (1), and second by `water_level` (2).

|  location   |          time          |water\_level|
|-------------|------------------------|------------|
|coyote\_creek|2019-08-28T14:30:00.000Z|   \-0.61   |
|coyote\_creek|2019-08-29T15:18:00.000Z|  \-0.594   |
|coyote\_creek|2019-08-28T14:36:00.000Z|  \-0.591   |
|coyote\_creek|2019-08-28T14:24:00.000Z|  \-0.587   |
|coyote\_creek|2019-08-29T15:24:00.000Z|  \-0.571   |
|coyote\_creek|2019-08-27T13:42:00.000Z|  \-0.561   |
| time | water_level |
| --- | --- |
| time | water_level |
| 2019-09-17T16:24:00.000Z | 3.235 |
| 2019-09-17T16:18:00.000Z | 3.314 |
| 2019-09-17T16:12:00.000Z | 3.402 |
| 2019-09-17T16:06:00.000Z | 3.497 |
| 2019-09-17T16:00:00.000Z | 3.599 |
| 2019-09-17T15:54:00.000Z | 3.704 |

| location | time | water_level |
| --- | --- | --- |
| location | time | water_level |
| coyote_creek | 2019-08-28T14:30:00.000Z | -0.61 |
| coyote_creek | 2019-08-29T15:18:00.000Z | -0.594 |
| coyote_creek | 2019-08-28T14:36:00.000Z | -0.591 |
| coyote_creek | 2019-08-28T14:24:00.000Z | -0.587 |
| coyote_creek | 2019-08-29T15:24:00.000Z | -0.571 |
| coyote_creek | 2019-08-27T13:42:00.000Z | -0.561 |