---
title: "How to Display Ultimate Member Users in Elementor Table with AJAX Filters (Step-by-Step)"
date: 2025-08-03
modified: 2025-09-10
author: "userelements_wh8sr3"
url: "https://www.userelements.com/ultimate-member-user-table-tutorial/"
markdown_url: "https://www.userelements.com/ultimate-member-user-table-tutorial.md"
type: post
excerpt: "Creating a searchable, sortable, and filterable user directory is one of the most requested features for community or membership sites. […]"
categories:
  - "Ultimate Member"
---
Creating a searchable, sortable, and filterable user directory is one of the most requested features for community or membership sites. Whether you’re building a job board, alumni network, or internal admin panel, displaying Ultimate Member users in a dynamic table using Elementor gives you both flexibility and control.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to create a dynamic Ultimate Member user table with sorting, pagination, and real-time AJAX filtering, all while boosting your site’s SEO with structured, crawlable content.

See the final result: ([Live Demo](https://demo.userelements.com/sortable-user-table/))

![Ultimate member User Table](https://www.userelements.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-07-28-112921-1024x751.png)### **Why Tables Work for Directories**

Displaying users in a table format improves usability when your audience needs to scan, compare, or search for people based on specific data points. Whether it’s location, registration date, or a custom field like “Skill Level,” tables support powerful interactions, such as sorting and filtering. They’re ideal for:

- Member directories
- Job seeker databases
- Freelancer or alumni listings
- Admin interfaces

Tables also help with SEO by organizing user data in a crawlable format, making your directory easier to index and rank on Google.

### **What Will We Be Building?**

You’ll create a dynamic user directory table that displays a list of 20+ users. Each row will represent a user, and each column will show specific meta fields such as:

- Gender
- Country
- Email
- Registration Date

The table will support:

- Sortable columns (e.g., sort by name or join date)
- AJAX-based filters using user meta fields (e.g., filter users with Gender = Male)
- Live search and pagination

This setup is perfect for building a fast, responsive, and user-friendly directory using Ultimate Member and Elementor.

### **Why Display Ultimate Member Users in a Table?**

Tables are ideal when you need to scan, sort, and compare multiple user profiles efficiently. For sites with large user bases or data-rich profiles, like directories, communities, admin panels, or job boards, a table layout.

- Makes information dense but easy to digest
- Enables power features like AJAX filtering, live search, and pagination
- Improves SEO with structured, crawlable content
- Helps users find the right person fast using roles, meta fields, or custom tags

A searchable, sortable table is best when functionality and precision matter. On the other hand, a card layout suits visually driven platforms where browsing is more casual and aesthetic-focused.

### **Card vs Table View: When and Why**

Choosing between card and table layouts depends on your goals and audience:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Zl_ZWuMetQ 

##### Use Card Layout When:

1. Visual scanning is important
2. Data density is moderate
3. The user count is small to moderate

**Use Cases**: Dating sites, creator portfolios, influencer directories, team pages, and testimonial grids

##### **Use a User Table When:**

1. Sorting and filtering are important
2. Scanning efficiency matters
3. Information density is high
4. The user base is medium to large (50+)

**Use Cases**: Freelance marketplaces, alumni directories, admin user panels, job seeker lists

### **Prerequisites: Plugins and User Meta Setup**

To create a filterable user directory using WordPress, you will need the following plugins installed:

1. **WordPress CMS** – For creating the website
2. **[Ultimate Member](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ultimate-member/)** (Free or Pro) – User registration, profiles, and meta fields.
3. **[Elementor](https://wordpress.org/plugins/elementor/)** (Free or Pro) – Page builder for frontend customization
4. **[Elementor Widgets for Ultimate Member](https://www.userelements.com/ultimate-member-elementor/)** (Pro) – The [Free version](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ultimate-member-widgets-for-elementor/) offers only Grid; for the Table Widget, install the Pro version. Adds user directory widgets for Elementor.

### **Ultimate Member Custom Fields Setup**

1. Go to Ultimate Member → Forms → Edit Profile Form
2. Add fields like: Gender, Country, Skills, etc.

Note their meta key names (e.g., gender, country) as you’ll use them in the table.

![Ultimate Member Forms - Fields Manager](https://www.userelements.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-03-121057.png)

### **Step-by-Step Tutorial: Creating Your Ultimate Member User Table**

#### **Step 1: Create Your User Directory Page**

1. Go to **WordPress Dashboard > Pages > Add Page**
2. Add a Title like “Member Directory.”
3. Click on **Publish**
4. Click Edit with Elementor

![Edit with Elementor](https://www.userelements.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-02-124514.png)

#### ****Step 2: Add the Ultimate Member User Table Widget****

1. Click on + to add a widget
2. Search for “User Directory Table” in the widgets panel
3. Click on “User Directory Table” and drag it to Elementor Canvas

Ensure the User Directory & Profile Grid for Elementor & Ultimate Member is active; otherwise, the widget won’t appear.

![](https://www.userelements.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-02-131735.png)

#### ******Step 3: Configure Meta Fields for Table Columns******

1. Select the widget → go to Table Layout tab
2. Click Add Item for each column you want:
3. Example: Name, Gender, Country, Email, Registration Date
4. Choose the Meta Key matching your UM field (e.g., gender)
5. Drag and drop to reorder columns

💡 Pro Tip: Use field labels that make sense for users (“Joined On” instead of “user\_registered”).

![](https://www.userelements.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-07-29-113710.png)

#### ********Step 4: Enable AJAX Filtering for Ultimate Member User Table********

1. Go to the Live Filtering tab
2. Click Add Item
3. Select the Meta Key you want to filter by (e.g., gender)
4. Choose the appropriate field type: dropdown, text input, etc.
5. Example: Filter users who have gender = Male.
6. Go to the Table Interaction tab
7. Enable Interactive Sorting

This lets users narrow down the list based on custom fields like gender, country, or role.

![](https://www.userelements.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-03-091530.png)

#### **********Step 5: Configure Sorting and Pagination**********

##### Enable Sorting

1. Go to the Table Interaction tab
2. Toggle Interactive Sorting ON
3. Users can now click on column headers to sort (e.g., A–Z by Country)

![](https://www.userelements.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-03-121210.png)

##### Setup Pagination

1. Set Users Per Page to 10-20 (optimal for loading speed)
2. In User Query Settings, set Maximum Users to 100+
3. This creates pagination controls for large directories

![](https://www.userelements.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-03-121220.png)

Creating a powerful Ultimate Member user table transforms your WordPress site into a professional directory platform. With AJAX filtering, sorting, and responsive design, you’re giving users the tools they need to quickly find and connect with the right people.

#### Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

**Why are no users showing in the table?**Check two key things:

- The User Query Settings ensure “Maximum Users to Display” is not set to 0.
- Make sure the correct user roles are selected if you’re filtering by role. Also, confirm the users actually exist with the specified role or meta field.

**Why isn’t sorting working on my table columns?**Go to the Table Interaction tab and make sure “Interactive Sorting” is turned on. Without this setting enabled, the column headers won’t be clickable.

**Why aren’t my filter fields showing up?**Make sure the meta key used in the filter exactly matches the one defined in your Ultimate Member profile form. Even a small mismatch (like Gender vs gender) will prevent it from working.

**Why can’t I see the User Directory Table widget in Elementor?**First, confirm that the “User Directory & Profile Grid for Elementor & Ultimate Member” plugin is installed and active. If it’s active but the widget still doesn’t appear, try:

- Clearing your browser and site cache
- Disabling any conflicting optimization plugins
- Refreshing the Elementor editor