diff --git a/hed/models/hed_group.py b/hed/models/hed_group.py
index b152ca2f9..ae28709fb 100644
--- a/hed/models/hed_group.py
+++ b/hed/models/hed_group.py
@@ -157,7 +157,8 @@ def sorted(self):
             sorted_copy (HedGroup): The sorted copy
         """
         string_copy = self.copy()
-        return string_copy._sorted(update_self=True)
+        string_copy._sorted(update_self=True)
+        return string_copy
 
     def _sorted(self, update_self=False):
         """ Returns a sorted copy of this hed group as a list of it's children
@@ -350,6 +351,39 @@ def lower(self):
         """ Convenience function, equivalent to str(self).lower() """
         return str(self).lower()
 
+    def get_as_indented(self, tag_attribute="short_tag"):
+        """Returns the string as a multiline indented format
+
+        Parameters:
+            tag_attribute (str): The hed_tag property to use to construct the string (usually short_tag or long_tag).
+
+        Returns:
+            formatted_hed (str): the indented string
+        """
+        hed_string = self.sorted().get_as_form(tag_attribute)
+
+        level_open = []
+        level = 0
+        indented = ""
+        prev = ''
+        for c in hed_string:
+            if c == "(":
+                level_open.append(level)
+                indented += "\n" + "\t" * level + c
+                level += 1
+            elif c == ")":
+                level = level_open.pop()
+                if prev == ")":
+                    indented += "\n" + "\t" * level + c
+                else:
+                    indented += c
+
+            else:
+                indented += c
+            prev = c
+
+        return indented
+
     def find_placeholder_tag(self):
         """ Return a placeholder tag, if present in this group.
 
diff --git a/spec_tests/hed-specification b/spec_tests/hed-specification
index 25a8b2a69..8f1c01406 160000
--- a/spec_tests/hed-specification
+++ b/spec_tests/hed-specification
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 25a8b2a69fe01b745c3f0fc8f4fa56d5b7e12aeb
+Subproject commit 8f1c014062f629dc7b88d625fbee14f4c88455ba
diff --git a/tests/models/test_hed_group.py b/tests/models/test_hed_group.py
index 96d1744c9..117872e8d 100644
--- a/tests/models/test_hed_group.py
+++ b/tests/models/test_hed_group.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 from hed import schema
 from hed.models import HedString
+import copy
 
 
 class Test(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -121,5 +122,15 @@ def test_sort_and_sorted(self):
         ]
         self._compare_strings(hed_strings)
 
+    def test_sorted_structure(self):
+        hed_string = HedString("(Tag3, Tag1, Tag5, Tag2, Tag4)", self.hed_schema)
+        original_hed_string = copy.deepcopy(hed_string)
+
+        sorted_hed_string = hed_string.sorted()
+
+        self.assertIsInstance(sorted_hed_string, HedString)
+        self.assertEqual(str(original_hed_string), str(hed_string))
+        self.assertIsNot(sorted_hed_string, hed_string)
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     unittest.main()