# How to force/change the order of the fields in a event?
**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-force-change-the-order-of-the-fields-in-a-event/96786
**Category:** Logstash
**Created:** [August 11, 2017, 2:49pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-force-change-the-order-of-the-fields-in-a-event/96786 "2017-08-11T14:49:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Joaquim\_Freitas](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Joaquim_Freitas)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2017, 2:49pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-force-change-the-order-of-the-fields-in-a-event/96786/1 "2017-08-11T14:49:52Z")
Hi,
It is possible (or how can it be done) to force/change the order of the fields in a event?
The reason for my question is simple:
I have a field "\_time" in my events that I need to be the very first field in my JSON events.
I need to either sort the fields (causing the "\_time" to come first) or move that field to the first position in the event.
It seems a somewhat strange question, but this is due to the fact the event will be output via tcp, and field "\_time" needs to come first in the JSON event in order to be correctly processed (setting the timestamp of the event).
Thanks.
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### Author:  [@magnusbaeck](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/magnusbaeck)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2017, 3:28pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-force-change-the-order-of-the-fields-in-a-event/96786/2 "2017-08-11T15:28:39Z")
> It is possible (or how can it be done) to force/change the order of the fields in a event?
No, sorry. The order of the fields is undefined and can't be relied on.
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### Author:  [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2017, 3:28pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-force-change-the-order-of-the-fields-in-a-event/96786/3 "2017-09-08T15:28:39Z")
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