# Adding sort to ES query returns inaccurate results?

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/adding-sort-to-es-query-returns-inaccurate-results/286549>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [October 12, 2021, 10:09pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/adding-sort-to-es-query-returns-inaccurate-results/286549 "2021-10-12T22:09:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bensalerno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@bensalerno](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/bensalerno)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2021, 10:09pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/adding-sort-to-es-query-returns-inaccurate-results/286549/1 "2021-10-12T22:09:33Z")

</div>

My queries are successfully returning the exact results that I am looking for.

```auto
{
   "size":100,
   "from":0,
   "query":{
      "bool":{
         "must":[
            {
               "bool":{
                  "should":[
                     {
                        "match":{
                           "ProcessId":"from-cn"
                        }
                     }
                  ]
               }
            }
         ]
      }
   }

```

This returns only items with ProcessId "from-cn"  
However, when I add a sort query like this:

```auto
{
   "size":100,
   "from":0,
   "sort":[
      {
         "CreatedTimeStamp":{
            "order":"desc"
         }
      }
   ],
   "query":{
      "bool":{
         "must":[
            {
               "bool":{
                  "should":[
                     {
                        "match":{
                           "ProcessId":"from-cn"
                        }
                     }
                  ]
               }
            }
         ]
      }
   }
}

```

This is now returning all "from-cn", but it is also returning several other results that do NOT have ProcessId "from-cn".

I know it is the sort that is causing the issue because when I remove sort, it returns perfectly.

Why is this happening here? How can I fix?

EDIT: I'm now thinking it's possible that my ES is returning matches, but not EXACT matches. Is there a way to ensure that ES only returns exact, verbatim matches?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dadoonet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dadoonet/32/137187_2.png) [@dadoonet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/dadoonet)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2021, 2:03am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/adding-sort-to-es-query-returns-inaccurate-results/286549/2 "2021-10-13T02:03:23Z")

</div>

It depends on the mapping for the field `ProcessId`.  
What is it?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bensalerno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@bensalerno](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/bensalerno)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2021, 2:14am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/adding-sort-to-es-query-returns-inaccurate-results/286549/3 "2021-10-13T02:14:05Z")

</div>

What does that mean exactly? I believe it is just default mapping. I don't remember changing it, but is there a way to check ?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dadoonet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dadoonet/32/137187_2.png) [@dadoonet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/dadoonet)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2021, 2:05pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/adding-sort-to-es-query-returns-inaccurate-results/286549/5 "2021-10-13T14:05:09Z")

</div>

> I believe it is just default mapping.

So try with `ProcessId.keyword` instead.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bensalerno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@bensalerno](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/bensalerno)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2021, 6:25pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/adding-sort-to-es-query-returns-inaccurate-results/286549/6 "2021-10-13T18:25:38Z")

</div>

This worked. Thank you 🙂

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [November 10, 2021, 6:26pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/adding-sort-to-es-query-returns-inaccurate-results/286549/7 "2021-11-10T18:26:30Z")

</div>

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