diff --git a/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/avg_test.php b/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/avg_test.php
index 86123c3c7de..b03d254b950 100644
--- a/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/avg_test.php
+++ b/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/avg_test.php
@@ -54,25 +54,21 @@ class avg_test extends core_reportbuilder_testcase {
         $generator = $this->getDataGenerator()->get_plugin_generator('core_reportbuilder');
         $report = $generator->create_report(['name' => 'Users', 'source' => users::class, 'default' => 0]);
 
-        // First column, sorted.
-        $generator->create_column(['reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:firstname', 'sortenabled' => 1]);
-
-        // This is the column we'll aggregate.
-        $generator->create_column(
-            ['reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:suspended', 'aggregation' => avg::get_class_name()]
-        );
+        // Report columns, aggregated/sorted by user suspended.
+        $generator->create_column(['reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:firstname']);
+        $generator->create_column([
+            'reportid' => $report->get('id'),
+            'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:suspended',
+            'aggregation' => avg::get_class_name(),
+            'sortenabled' => 1,
+            'sortdirection' => SORT_DESC,
+        ]);
 
         $content = $this->get_custom_report_content($report->get('id'));
         $this->assertEquals([
-            [
-                'c0_firstname' => 'Admin',
-                'c1_suspended' => '0.0',
-            ],
-            [
-                'c0_firstname' => 'Bob',
-                'c1_suspended' => '0.5',
-            ],
-        ], $content);
+            ['Bob', '0.5'],
+            ['Admin', '0.0'],
+        ], array_map('array_values', $content));
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/count_test.php b/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/count_test.php
index cbdc62b4c96..70f82ce3388 100644
--- a/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/count_test.php
+++ b/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/count_test.php
@@ -53,24 +53,20 @@ class count_test extends core_reportbuilder_testcase {
         $generator = $this->getDataGenerator()->get_plugin_generator('core_reportbuilder');
         $report = $generator->create_report(['name' => 'Users', 'source' => users::class, 'default' => 0]);
 
-        // First column, sorted.
-        $generator->create_column(['reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:firstname', 'sortenabled' => 1]);
-
-        // This is the column we'll aggregate.
+        // Report columns, aggregated/sorted by user lastname.
+        $generator->create_column(['reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:firstname']);
         $generator->create_column([
-            'reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:lastname', 'aggregation' => count::get_class_name()]
-        );
+            'reportid' => $report->get('id'),
+            'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:lastname',
+            'aggregation' => count::get_class_name(),
+            'sortenabled' => 1,
+            'sortdirection' => SORT_DESC,
+        ]);
 
         $content = $this->get_custom_report_content($report->get('id'));
         $this->assertEquals([
-            [
-                'c0_firstname' => 'Admin',
-                'c1_lastname' => 1,
-            ],
-            [
-                'c0_firstname' => 'Bob',
-                'c1_lastname' => 3,
-            ],
-        ], $content);
+            ['Bob', 3],
+            ['Admin', 1],
+        ], array_map('array_values', $content));
     }
 }
diff --git a/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/countdistinct_test.php b/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/countdistinct_test.php
index a3103c3cdc3..e8a09081978 100644
--- a/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/countdistinct_test.php
+++ b/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/countdistinct_test.php
@@ -53,27 +53,21 @@ class countdistinct_test extends core_reportbuilder_testcase {
         $generator = $this->getDataGenerator()->get_plugin_generator('core_reportbuilder');
         $report = $generator->create_report(['name' => 'Users', 'source' => users::class, 'default' => 0]);
 
-        // First column, sorted.
-        $generator->create_column(['reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:firstname', 'sortenabled' => 1]);
-
-        // This is the column we'll aggregate.
+        // Report columns, aggregated/sorted by user lastname.
+        $generator->create_column(['reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:firstname']);
         $generator->create_column([
             'reportid' => $report->get('id'),
             'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:lastname',
             'aggregation' => countdistinct::get_class_name(),
+            'sortenabled' => 1,
+            'sortdirection' => SORT_DESC,
         ]);
 
         $content = $this->get_custom_report_content($report->get('id'));
         $this->assertEquals([
-            [
-                'c0_firstname' => 'Admin',
-                'c1_lastname' => 1,
-            ],
-            [
-                'c0_firstname' => 'Bob',
-                'c1_lastname' => 2,
-            ],
-        ], $content);
+            ['Bob', 2],
+            ['Admin', 1],
+        ], array_map('array_values', $content));
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/groupconcat_test.php b/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/groupconcat_test.php
index 94b6e9643e7..0d0dd50ca06 100644
--- a/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/groupconcat_test.php
+++ b/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/groupconcat_test.php
@@ -57,28 +57,22 @@ class groupconcat_test extends core_reportbuilder_testcase {
         $generator = $this->getDataGenerator()->get_plugin_generator('core_reportbuilder');
         $report = $generator->create_report(['name' => 'Users', 'source' => users::class, 'default' => 0]);
 
-        // First column, sorted.
-        $generator->create_column(['reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:firstname', 'sortenabled' => 1]);
-
-        // This is the column we'll aggregate.
+        // Report columns, aggregated/sorted by user lastname.
+        $generator->create_column(['reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:firstname']);
         $generator->create_column([
             'reportid' => $report->get('id'),
             'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:lastname',
             'aggregation' => groupconcat::get_class_name(),
+            'sortenabled' => 1,
+            'sortdirection' => SORT_ASC,
         ]);
 
-        // Assert lastname column was aggregated, and sorted predictably.
+        // Assert lastname column was aggregated, and itself also sorted predictably.
         $content = $this->get_custom_report_content($report->get('id'));
         $this->assertEquals([
-            [
-                'c0_firstname' => 'Admin',
-                'c1_lastname' => 'User',
-            ],
-            [
-                'c0_firstname' => 'Bob',
-                'c1_lastname' => 'Apple, Banana, Banana',
-            ],
-        ], $content);
+            ['Bob', 'Apple, Banana, Banana'],
+            ['Admin', 'User'],
+        ], array_map('array_values', $content));
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/groupconcatdistinct_test.php b/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/groupconcatdistinct_test.php
index 0477ba8a423..1753b88beb3 100644
--- a/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/groupconcatdistinct_test.php
+++ b/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/groupconcatdistinct_test.php
@@ -67,28 +67,22 @@ class groupconcatdistinct_test extends core_reportbuilder_testcase {
         $generator = $this->getDataGenerator()->get_plugin_generator('core_reportbuilder');
         $report = $generator->create_report(['name' => 'Users', 'source' => users::class, 'default' => 0]);
 
-        // First column, sorted.
-        $generator->create_column(['reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:firstname', 'sortenabled' => 1]);
-
-        // This is the column we'll aggregate.
+        // Report columns, aggregated/sorted by user lastname.
+        $generator->create_column(['reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:firstname']);
         $generator->create_column([
             'reportid' => $report->get('id'),
             'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:lastname',
             'aggregation' => groupconcatdistinct::get_class_name(),
+            'sortenabled' => 1,
+            'sortdirection' => SORT_ASC,
         ]);
 
-        // Assert lastname column was aggregated, and sorted predictably.
+        // Assert lastname column was aggregated, and itself also sorted predictably.
         $content = $this->get_custom_report_content($report->get('id'));
         $this->assertEquals([
-            [
-                'c0_firstname' => 'Admin',
-                'c1_lastname' => 'User',
-            ],
-            [
-                'c0_firstname' => 'Bob',
-                'c1_lastname' => 'Apple, Banana',
-            ],
-        ], $content);
+            ['Bob', 'Apple, Banana'],
+            ['Admin', 'User'],
+        ], array_map('array_values', $content));
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/max_test.php b/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/max_test.php
index 546900507c8..1b034c93f67 100644
--- a/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/max_test.php
+++ b/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/max_test.php
@@ -52,24 +52,20 @@ class max_test extends core_reportbuilder_testcase {
         $generator = $this->getDataGenerator()->get_plugin_generator('core_reportbuilder');
         $report = $generator->create_report(['name' => 'Users', 'source' => users::class, 'default' => 0]);
 
-        // First column, sorted.
-        $generator->create_column(['reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:firstname', 'sortenabled' => 1]);
-
-        // This is the column we'll aggregate.
-        $generator->create_column(
-            ['reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:suspended', 'aggregation' => max::get_class_name()]
-        );
+        // Report columns, aggregated/sorted by user suspended.
+        $generator->create_column(['reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:firstname']);
+        $generator->create_column([
+            'reportid' => $report->get('id'),
+            'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:suspended',
+            'aggregation' => max::get_class_name(),
+            'sortenabled' => 1,
+            'sortdirection' => SORT_DESC,
+        ]);
 
         $content = $this->get_custom_report_content($report->get('id'));
         $this->assertEquals([
-            [
-                'c0_firstname' => 'Admin',
-                'c1_suspended' => 'No',
-            ],
-            [
-                'c0_firstname' => 'Bob',
-                'c1_suspended' => 'Yes',
-            ],
-        ], $content);
+            ['Bob', 'Yes'],
+            ['Admin', 'No'],
+        ], array_map('array_values', $content));
     }
 }
diff --git a/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/min_test.php b/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/min_test.php
index 6f5503846b2..6de8117e3f0 100644
--- a/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/min_test.php
+++ b/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/min_test.php
@@ -45,31 +45,27 @@ class min_test extends core_reportbuilder_testcase {
         $this->resetAfterTest();
 
         // Test subjects.
+        $this->getDataGenerator()->create_user(['firstname' => 'Admin', 'suspended' => 1]);
         $this->getDataGenerator()->create_user(['firstname' => 'Bob', 'suspended' => 1]);
-        $this->getDataGenerator()->create_user(['firstname' => 'Bob', 'suspended' => 0]);
 
         /** @var core_reportbuilder_generator $generator */
         $generator = $this->getDataGenerator()->get_plugin_generator('core_reportbuilder');
         $report = $generator->create_report(['name' => 'Users', 'source' => users::class, 'default' => 0]);
 
-        // First column, sorted.
-        $generator->create_column(['reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:firstname', 'sortenabled' => 1]);
-
-        // This is the column we'll aggregate.
+        // Report columns, aggregated/sorted by user suspended.
+        $generator->create_column(['reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:firstname']);
         $generator->create_column([
-            'reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:suspended', 'aggregation' => min::get_class_name()]
-        );
+            'reportid' => $report->get('id'),
+            'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:suspended',
+            'aggregation' => min::get_class_name(),
+            'sortenabled' => 1,
+            'sortdirection' => SORT_DESC,
+        ]);
 
         $content = $this->get_custom_report_content($report->get('id'));
         $this->assertEquals([
-            [
-                'c0_firstname' => 'Admin',
-                'c1_suspended' => 'No',
-            ],
-            [
-                'c0_firstname' => 'Bob',
-                'c1_suspended' => 'No',
-            ],
-        ], $content);
+            ['Bob', 'Yes'],
+            ['Admin', 'No'],
+        ], array_map('array_values', $content));
     }
 }
diff --git a/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/percent_test.php b/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/percent_test.php
index cbf84343873..82d1c8481ce 100644
--- a/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/percent_test.php
+++ b/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/percent_test.php
@@ -52,24 +52,20 @@ class percent_test extends core_reportbuilder_testcase {
         $generator = $this->getDataGenerator()->get_plugin_generator('core_reportbuilder');
         $report = $generator->create_report(['name' => 'Users', 'source' => users::class, 'default' => 0]);
 
-        // First column, sorted.
-        $generator->create_column(['reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:firstname', 'sortenabled' => 1]);
-
-        // This is the column we'll aggregate.
+        // Report columns, aggregated/sorted by user suspended.
+        $generator->create_column(['reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:firstname']);
         $generator->create_column([
-            'reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:suspended', 'aggregation' => percent::get_class_name()]
-        );
+            'reportid' => $report->get('id'),
+            'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:suspended',
+            'aggregation' => percent::get_class_name(),
+            'sortenabled' => 1,
+            'sortdirection' => SORT_DESC,
+        ]);
 
         $content = $this->get_custom_report_content($report->get('id'));
         $this->assertEquals([
-            [
-                'c0_firstname' => 'Admin',
-                'c1_suspended' => '0.0%',
-            ],
-            [
-                'c0_firstname' => 'Bob',
-                'c1_suspended' => '50.0%',
-            ],
-        ], $content);
+            ['Bob', '50.0%'],
+            ['Admin', '0.0%'],
+        ], array_map('array_values', $content));
     }
 }
diff --git a/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/sum_test.php b/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/sum_test.php
index c8b8aaa467e..ba081838211 100644
--- a/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/sum_test.php
+++ b/reportbuilder/tests/local/aggregation/sum_test.php
@@ -55,25 +55,21 @@ class sum_test extends core_reportbuilder_testcase {
         $generator = $this->getDataGenerator()->get_plugin_generator('core_reportbuilder');
         $report = $generator->create_report(['name' => 'Users', 'source' => users::class, 'default' => 0]);
 
-        // First column, sorted.
-        $generator->create_column(['reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:firstname', 'sortenabled' => 1]);
-
-        // This is the column we'll aggregate.
+        // Report columns, aggregated/sorted by user suspended.
+        $generator->create_column(['reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:firstname']);
         $generator->create_column([
-            'reportid' => $report->get('id'), 'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:suspended', 'aggregation' => sum::get_class_name()
+            'reportid' => $report->get('id'),
+            'uniqueidentifier' => 'user:suspended',
+            'aggregation' => sum::get_class_name(),
+            'sortenabled' => 1,
+            'sortdirection' => SORT_DESC,
         ]);
 
         $content = $this->get_custom_report_content($report->get('id'));
         $this->assertEquals([
-            [
-                'c0_firstname' => 'Admin',
-                'c1_suspended' => 0,
-            ],
-            [
-                'c0_firstname' => 'Bob',
-                'c1_suspended' => 2,
-            ],
-        ], $content);
+            ['Bob', 2],
+            ['Admin', 0],
+        ], array_map('array_values', $content));
     }
 
     /**