Sorting a spreadsheet should not require a detour into scripting. The Reddit user who asked for one-click buttons to re-sort a table by different column combinations has put a fine point on a frustration that millions of spreadsheet users know intimately: the tools we rely on for data work often make simple things harder than they need to be. We think the request is entirely reasonable, and the fact that it feels like a feature request rather than a solved problem tells you something important about where spreadsheet technology has been, and where it needs to go.
The user's workflow is clear. They have a single dataset, and they need to view it organized three different ways: alphabetically by Column A, then B, then C; then by Column B, then C, then A; then by Column C alone. Any of these sorts is trivial to perform manually. But the act of repeatedly opening the custom sort dialog, resetting the criteria, and re-applying it is exactly the kind of low-value friction that erodes focus over the course of a day. The user is not asking for anything exotic, they want a button that remembers a preference. That is a reasonable expectation in 2025. When we see a request like this, it reminds us of other places where spreadsheet tools create unnecessary overhead, such as the challenge of keeping your spreadsheet shading intact when pivot tables resize. In both cases, the core data is sound, but the interface for interacting with it introduces friction that shouldn't be there.
Traditional spreadsheet applications can solve this, but only by dropping into macros or Visual Basic. That is a significant barrier for someone who describes themselves as comfortable with formulas and conditional formatting but not with scripting. The user is already doing the hard work of understanding their data and defining the logic for how it should be organized. The tool should meet them there. This is precisely the kind of scenario where an AI-native approach can let AI handle dashboard visuals while you keep control of the business logic. The user defines the sorting rules; the tool remembers them and presents a simple interface to apply them. The complexity of storing and executing those rules should be invisible. The user should not have to become a developer just to avoid repetitive clicking.
What this story underscores is that many of the features we accept as "advanced" in spreadsheets are actually just missing abstractions. A button that applies a pre-defined sort is not advanced. It is a basic convenience that has been hidden behind a scripting language for too long. We are already seeing a shift in how users approach analysis, where data scientists still verify even AI-powered analysis, the most valuable tools are the ones that reduce friction in the parts of the workflow that are already understood. The user knows exactly what they want to sort and in what order. The only missing piece is a button. That gap between intention and execution is where productivity goes to die. The specific takeaway here is straightforward: if you are building or evaluating spreadsheet tools, ask whether your users need to write a script to do something they can describe in a single sentence. If the answer is yes, you have an opportunity to make their work faster and more intuitive. The next time you find yourself reaching for a custom sort dialog for the third time in an hour, ask yourself whether the tool is working for you, or the other way around.