diff --git a/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/Models/ConfigurationDtos.cs b/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/Models/ConfigurationDtos.cs
index f811ef9..649a545 100644
--- a/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/Models/ConfigurationDtos.cs
+++ b/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/Models/ConfigurationDtos.cs
@@ -1,8 +1,36 @@
 using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;
+using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
 using ThingConnect.Pulse.Server.Data;
 
 namespace ThingConnect.Pulse.Server.Models;
 
+/// <summary>
+/// Custom validation attribute that allows null values but validates non-null values against a regex pattern.
+/// </summary>
+public sealed class OptionalRegularExpressionAttribute : ValidationAttribute
+{
+    private readonly Regex _regex;
+
+    public OptionalRegularExpressionAttribute(string pattern)
+    {
+        _regex = new Regex(pattern, RegexOptions.Compiled);
+    }
+
+    public override bool IsValid(object? value)
+    {
+        // Allow null values (optional field)
+        if (value == null)
+            return true;
+
+        // Allow empty strings (optional field)
+        if (value is string str && string.IsNullOrEmpty(str))
+            return true;
+
+        // Validate non-empty strings against the pattern
+        return value is string stringValue && _regex.IsMatch(stringValue);
+    }
+}
+
 public class ConfigurationValidationException : Exception
 {
     public ValidationErrorsDto ValidationErrors { get; }
@@ -91,7 +119,7 @@ public sealed class GroupSection
 
     public string? ParentId { get; set; }
 
-    [RegularExpression("^#([A-Fa-f0-9]{6}|[A-Fa-f0-9]{3})$", ErrorMessage = "Color must be a valid hex color code")]
+    [OptionalRegularExpression("^#([A-Fa-f0-9]{6}|[A-Fa-f0-9]{3})$", ErrorMessage = "Color must be a valid hex color code")]
     public string? Color { get; set; }
 
     public int? SortOrder { get; set; }
diff --git a/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/Models/StatusDtos.cs b/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/Models/StatusDtos.cs
index 11df3f8..2b18afe 100644
--- a/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/Models/StatusDtos.cs
+++ b/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/Models/StatusDtos.cs
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ public sealed class GroupDto
     public string Name { get; set; } = default!;
     public string? ParentId { get; set; }
     public string? Color { get; set; }
+    public int? SortOrder { get; set; }
 }
 
 public sealed class PageMetaDto
diff --git a/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/Services/EndpointService.cs b/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/Services/EndpointService.cs
index 48bdd71..817dd1a 100644
--- a/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/Services/EndpointService.cs
+++ b/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/Services/EndpointService.cs
@@ -94,7 +94,8 @@ private EndpointDto MapToEndpointDto(Data.Endpoint endpoint)
                 Id = endpoint.Group.Id,
                 Name = endpoint.Group.Name,
                 ParentId = endpoint.Group.ParentId,
-                Color = endpoint.Group.Color
+                Color = endpoint.Group.Color,
+                SortOrder = endpoint.Group.SortOrder
             },
             Type = endpoint.Type.ToString().ToLower(),
             Host = endpoint.Host,
diff --git a/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/Services/HistoryService.cs b/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/Services/HistoryService.cs
index 6c1c224..d90f034 100644
--- a/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/Services/HistoryService.cs
+++ b/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/Services/HistoryService.cs
@@ -187,7 +187,8 @@ private EndpointDto MapToEndpointDto(Data.Endpoint endpoint)
                 Id = endpoint.Group.Id,
                 Name = endpoint.Group.Name,
                 ParentId = endpoint.Group.ParentId,
-                Color = endpoint.Group.Color
+                Color = endpoint.Group.Color,
+                SortOrder = endpoint.Group.SortOrder
             },
             Type = endpoint.Type.ToString().ToLower(),
             Host = endpoint.Host,
diff --git a/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/Services/StatusService.cs b/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/Services/StatusService.cs
index 3fade8c..e6a31a3 100644
--- a/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/Services/StatusService.cs
+++ b/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/Services/StatusService.cs
@@ -53,9 +53,10 @@ public async Task<List<LiveStatusItemDto>> GetLiveStatusAsync(string? group, str
         // Get total count for pagination
         int totalCount = await query.CountAsync();
 
-        // Apply pagination
+        // Apply pagination with proper group sorting
         List<Data.Endpoint> endpoints = await query
-        .OrderBy(e => e.GroupId)
+        .OrderBy(e => e.Group.SortOrder ?? int.MaxValue)
+        .ThenBy(e => e.Group.Name)
         .ThenBy(e => e.Name)
         .ToListAsync();
 
@@ -119,7 +120,8 @@ public async Task<List<LiveStatusItemDto>> GetLiveStatusAsync(string? group, str
 
         List<Group> groups = await _context.Groups
             .AsNoTracking()
-            .OrderBy(g => g.Name)
+            .OrderBy(g => g.SortOrder ?? int.MaxValue)
+            .ThenBy(g => g.Name)
             .ToListAsync();
 
         // Cache for 5 minutes since groups don't change frequently
@@ -248,7 +250,8 @@ private EndpointDto MapToEndpointDto(Data.Endpoint endpoint)
                 Id = endpoint.Group.Id,
                 Name = endpoint.Group.Name,
                 ParentId = endpoint.Group.ParentId,
-                Color = endpoint.Group.Color
+                Color = endpoint.Group.Color,
+                SortOrder = endpoint.Group.SortOrder
             },
             Type = endpoint.Type.ToString().ToLower(),
             Host = endpoint.Host,
diff --git a/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/config.schema.json b/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/config.schema.json
index b1ba274..2e00465 100644
--- a/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/config.schema.json
+++ b/ThingConnect.Pulse.Server/config.schema.json
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@
           },
           "name": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1 },
           "parent_id": { "type": ["string", "null"] },
-          "color": { "type": "string", "pattern": "^#([A-Fa-f0-9]{6}|[A-Fa-f0-9]{3})$" },
-          "sort_order": { "type": ["integer", "string"] }
+          "color": { "type": ["string", "null"], "pattern": "^#([A-Fa-f0-9]{6}|[A-Fa-f0-9]{3})$" },
+          "sort_order": { "type": ["integer", "string", "null"] }
         },
         "additionalProperties": false
       }
diff --git a/ThingConnect.Pulse.Tests/config.schema.json b/ThingConnect.Pulse.Tests/config.schema.json
index b1ba274..2e00465 100644
--- a/ThingConnect.Pulse.Tests/config.schema.json
+++ b/ThingConnect.Pulse.Tests/config.schema.json
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@
           },
           "name": { "type": "string", "minLength": 1 },
           "parent_id": { "type": ["string", "null"] },
-          "color": { "type": "string", "pattern": "^#([A-Fa-f0-9]{6}|[A-Fa-f0-9]{3})$" },
-          "sort_order": { "type": ["integer", "string"] }
+          "color": { "type": ["string", "null"], "pattern": "^#([A-Fa-f0-9]{6}|[A-Fa-f0-9]{3})$" },
+          "sort_order": { "type": ["integer", "string", "null"] }
         },
         "additionalProperties": false
       }