diff --git a/oarepo_model_builder/datatypes/components/facets/__init__.py b/oarepo_model_builder/datatypes/components/facets/__init__.py
index bbb02e7..a9a4a55 100644
--- a/oarepo_model_builder/datatypes/components/facets/__init__.py
+++ b/oarepo_model_builder/datatypes/components/facets/__init__.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ class FacetDefinition:
     dot_path: str
     searchable: bool
     imports: List[Dict[str, str]]
-    facet_groups: List[str]
+    facet_groups: Dict[str, int]
     facet: Optional[bool]
     field: Optional[str] = None
 
diff --git a/oarepo_model_builder/datatypes/components/facets/field.py b/oarepo_model_builder/datatypes/components/facets/field.py
index f6d9076..86ab1ac 100644
--- a/oarepo_model_builder/datatypes/components/facets/field.py
+++ b/oarepo_model_builder/datatypes/components/facets/field.py
@@ -9,6 +9,20 @@
 from . import FacetDefinition
 
 
+class FacetGroupsDict(fields.Dict):
+    def _deserialize(self, value, attr, data, **kwargs):
+        transformed_value = {}
+        if isinstance(value, list):
+            for val in value:
+                if isinstance(val, str):
+                    transformed_value[val] = 100000
+                else:
+                    transformed_value.update(val)
+        else:
+            transformed_value = value
+        return super()._deserialize(transformed_value, attr, data, **kwargs)
+
+
 class FacetsSchema(ma.Schema):
     class Meta:
         unknown = ma.RAISE
@@ -23,8 +37,9 @@ class Meta:
     imports = fields.List(fields.Nested(ImportSchema), required=False)
     path = fields.String(required=False)
     keyword = fields.String(required=False)
-    facet_groups = fields.List(
-        fields.String(),
+    facet_groups = FacetGroupsDict(
+        keys=fields.String(),
+        values=fields.Integer(),
         required=False,
         data_key="facet-groups",
         attribute="facet-groups",
@@ -60,7 +75,7 @@ def process_facets(self, datatype, section, **__kwargs):
             searchable=facet_section.get("searchable"),
             imports=facet_section.get("imports", []),
             facet=facet_section.get("facet", None),
-            facet_groups=facet_section.get("facet-groups", ["_default"]),
+            facet_groups=facet_section.get("facet-groups", {"_default": 100000}),
         )
 
         # set the field on the definition
diff --git a/oarepo_model_builder/datatypes/components/model/facets.py b/oarepo_model_builder/datatypes/components/model/facets.py
index c5dda28..2a6e07a 100644
--- a/oarepo_model_builder/datatypes/components/model/facets.py
+++ b/oarepo_model_builder/datatypes/components/model/facets.py
@@ -24,6 +24,16 @@ class Meta:
     )
     generate = ma.fields.Boolean()
     skip = ma.fields.Boolean()
+    facet_groups = ma.fields.Dict(
+        attribute="facet-groups",
+        data_key="facet-groups",
+        keys=ma.fields.String(),
+        values=ma.fields.Dict(keys=ma.fields.String(), values=ma.fields.Integer()),
+        metadata={
+            "doc": "Groups of facets in the form of {group_name: {facet_path: priority}}. Will merge with facet "
+            "groups declared on the individual fields."
+        },
+    )
 
 
 class FacetsModelComponent(ObjectFacetsComponent):
@@ -45,6 +55,7 @@ def before_model_prepare(self, datatype, *, context, **__kwargs):
         facets.setdefault("module", f"{module}.services.{profile_module}.facets")
 
         facets.setdefault("extra-code", "")
+        facets.setdefault("groups", True)
 
     def build_facet_definition(
         self,
diff --git a/oarepo_model_builder/datatypes/components/model/record.py b/oarepo_model_builder/datatypes/components/model/record.py
index 00ea3db..8796ae4 100644
--- a/oarepo_model_builder/datatypes/components/model/record.py
+++ b/oarepo_model_builder/datatypes/components/model/record.py
@@ -36,6 +36,11 @@ class Meta:
         ma.fields.Nested(ImportSchema), metadata={"doc": "List of python imports"}
     )
     skip = ma.fields.Boolean()
+    fields = ma.fields.Dict(
+        attribute="fields",
+        data_key="fields",
+        metadata={"doc": "Extra fields to add to the class"},
+    )
 
 
 class RecordModelComponent(DataTypeComponent):
@@ -65,4 +70,5 @@ def before_model_prepare(self, datatype, *, context, **kwargs):
             [],
         )
         record.setdefault("extra-code", "")
+        record.setdefault("fields", {})
         convert_config_to_qualified_name(record)
diff --git a/oarepo_model_builder/datatypes/components/model/search_options.py b/oarepo_model_builder/datatypes/components/model/search_options.py
index 71bf825..7ce98c5 100644
--- a/oarepo_model_builder/datatypes/components/model/search_options.py
+++ b/oarepo_model_builder/datatypes/components/model/search_options.py
@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@ class Meta:
         data_key="sort-options-field",
     )
 
+    fields = ma.fields.Dict(
+        keys=ma.fields.Str(),
+        values=ma.fields.Str(),
+        metadata={"doc": "Fields to be used in search options"},
+    )
+
 
 class SearchOptionsModelComponent(DataTypeComponent):
     eligible_datatypes = [ModelDataType]
@@ -77,4 +83,8 @@ def before_model_prepare(self, datatype, *, context, **kwargs):
             "imports",
             [],
         )
+        record_search_options.setdefault(
+            "fields",
+            {},
+        )
         record_search_options.setdefault("sort-options-field", "sort_options")
diff --git a/oarepo_model_builder/invenio/invenio_record_search_options.py b/oarepo_model_builder/invenio/invenio_record_search_options.py
index f3a26f4..e9b6134 100644
--- a/oarepo_model_builder/invenio/invenio_record_search_options.py
+++ b/oarepo_model_builder/invenio/invenio_record_search_options.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+from collections import defaultdict
 from typing import List
 
 from ..datatypes.components.facets import FacetDefinition
@@ -15,19 +16,62 @@ def finish(self, **extra_kwargs):
         facet_groups = {}
         default_group = []
         search_data = []
+
+        # gather all facet group names
+        facet_group_names = set()
+        for f in facets:
+            facet_group_names.update(f.facet_groups.keys())
+
+        # there might be a definition of facet groups on the model's facets -> facet-groups
+        # if there is, we need to merge those
+        top_level_facet_groups = self.current_model.definition.get("facets", {}).get(
+            "facet-groups", {}
+        )
+        facet_group_names.update(top_level_facet_groups.keys())
+        path_to_facet_group = defaultdict(dict)
+
+        for group, group_def in top_level_facet_groups.items():
+            for path, priority in group_def.items():
+                path_to_facet_group[group][path] = priority
+
+        # for each group name, gather all facets with that group name
+        # sort them by their order in the group
+        # and add them to the facet_groups dict
+        for group in sorted(facet_group_names):
+            # skip the default group
+            if group == "_default":
+                continue
+
+            # gather all facets with this facet_group_name
+            group_members = []
+            for f in facets:
+                if group in f.facet_groups:
+                    group_members.append((f, f.facet_groups[group]))
+
+                # if there is a definition of facet groups on the model's facets -> add the selected facets as well
+                for path, priority in path_to_facet_group.get(group, {}).items():
+                    if f.dot_path.startswith(path):
+                        group_members.append((f, priority))
+
+            # sort the group members by their order in the facet_group
+            group_members.sort(key=lambda x: x[1])
+
+            if group not in facet_groups.keys():
+                facet_groups[group] = {}
+
+            for f, _ in group_members:
+                facet_groups[group][f.path] = "facets." + f.path
+
         for f in facets:
-            for group in f.facet_groups:
-                if group != "_default":
-                    if group not in facet_groups.keys():
-                        facet_groups[group] = {}
-                    facet_groups[group][f.path] = "facets." + f.path
             if len(f.facet_groups) > 0:
                 default_group.append({f.path: "facets." + f.path})
             search_data.append({f.path: "facets." + f.path})
+
         if "sortable" in self.current_model.definition:
             sort_options = self.current_model.definition["sortable"]
         else:
             sort_options = {}
+
         extra_kwargs["facet_groups"] = facet_groups
         extra_kwargs["default_group"] = default_group
         extra_kwargs["sort_definition"] = sort_options
diff --git a/oarepo_model_builder/invenio/templates/invenio_record_search_options.py.jinja2 b/oarepo_model_builder/invenio/templates/invenio_record_search_options.py.jinja2
index 4e30fcc..feddd98 100644
--- a/oarepo_model_builder/invenio/templates/invenio_record_search_options.py.jinja2
+++ b/oarepo_model_builder/invenio/templates/invenio_record_search_options.py.jinja2
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@
 from oarepo_runtime.i18n import lazy_gettext as _
 from . import facets
 
+{% for extra_field_value in vars.search_options.fields.values() %}
+{{ extra_field_value|code_imports }}
+{% endfor %}
+
 
 class {{ vars.search_options| class_header }}:
     """{{ vars.record.class|base_name }} search options."""
@@ -49,5 +53,8 @@ class {{ vars.search_options| class_header }}:
 {% endfor %}
     }
 {% endif %}
+{% for extra_field_name, extra_field_value in vars.search_options.fields.items() %}
+    {{ extra_field_name }} = {{ extra_field_value|extra_code }}
+{% endfor %}
 
 {{ vars.search_options|extra_code }}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/oarepo_model_builder/invenio/templates/record.py.jinja2 b/oarepo_model_builder/invenio/templates/record.py.jinja2
index 74fc8a0..1a8433b 100644
--- a/oarepo_model_builder/invenio/templates/record.py.jinja2
+++ b/oarepo_model_builder/invenio/templates/record.py.jinja2
@@ -9,6 +9,11 @@ from invenio_records_resources.records.systemfields import IndexField
 {{ vars.record_dumper.class|imports }}
 {{ vars.record|imports }}
 
+{% for extra_field_value in vars.record.fields.values() %}
+{{ extra_field_value|code_imports }}
+{% endfor %}
+
+
 class {{ vars.record|class_header }}:
 {% if not vars.record_metadata.skip %}
     model_cls = {{ vars.record_metadata.class|base_name }}
@@ -30,5 +35,8 @@ class {{ vars.record|class_header }}:
 {% if not vars.record_dumper.skip %}
     dumper = {{ vars.record_dumper.class|base_name }}()
 {% endif %}
+{% for extra_field_name, extra_field_value in vars.record.fields.items() %}
+    {{ extra_field_name }} = {{ extra_field_value|extra_code }}
+{% endfor %}
 
 {{ vars.record|extra_code }}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 7f552d5..a1075c6 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [metadata]
 name = oarepo-model-builder
-version = 4.0.74
+version = 4.0.75
 description = A utility library that generates OARepo required data model files from a JSON specification file
 authors = Miroslav Bauer <bauer@cesnet.cz>, Miroslav Simek <simeki@vscht.cz>
 readme = README.md
diff --git a/tests/test_datatype_prepare.py b/tests/test_datatype_prepare.py
index 8a0138f..9642478 100644
--- a/tests/test_datatype_prepare.py
+++ b/tests/test_datatype_prepare.py
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ def test_prepare_datatype():
                 "invenio_records_resources.services.SearchOptions{InvenioSearchOptions}"
             ],
             "imports": [],
+            "fields": {},
             "sort-options-field": "sort_options",
         },
         "config": {
@@ -112,6 +113,7 @@ def test_prepare_datatype():
         "facets": {
             "generate": True,
             "module": "my.test.services.records.facets",
+            'groups': True,
             "extra-code": "",
         },
         "record": {
@@ -123,6 +125,7 @@ def test_prepare_datatype():
             ],
             "imports": [],
             "extra-code": "",
+            "fields": {},
         },
         "resource": {
             "generate": True,
diff --git a/tests/test_model_saver.py b/tests/test_model_saver.py
index c2a8712..bb5f3b3 100644
--- a/tests/test_model_saver.py
+++ b/tests/test_model_saver.py
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ def test_model_saver():
                 "invenio_records_resources.services.SearchOptions{InvenioSearchOptions}"
             ],
             "imports": [],
+            "fields": {},
             "sort-options-field": "sort_options",
         },
         "config": {
@@ -106,6 +107,7 @@ def test_model_saver():
         "facets": {
             "generate": True,
             "module": "test.services.records.facets",
+            'groups': True,
             "extra-code": "",
         },
         "record": {
@@ -117,6 +119,7 @@ def test_model_saver():
             ],
             "imports": [],
             "extra-code": "",
+            "fields": {},
         },
         "resource": {
             "generate": True,
@@ -438,6 +441,7 @@ def test_model_saver_invenio():
                 "invenio_records_resources.services.SearchOptions{InvenioSearchOptions}"
             ],
             "imports": [],
+            "fields": {},
             "sort-options-field": "sort_options",
         },
         "config": {
@@ -474,6 +478,7 @@ def test_model_saver_invenio():
         "facets": {
             "generate": True,
             "module": "test.services.records.facets",
+            "groups": True,
             "extra-code": "",
         },
         "record": {
@@ -485,6 +490,7 @@ def test_model_saver_invenio():
             ],
             "imports": [],
             "extra-code": "",
+            "fields": {},
         },
         "resource": {
             "generate": True,
diff --git a/tests/test_search_options.py b/tests/test_search_options.py
index 3fd28db..2b8e868 100644
--- a/tests/test_search_options.py
+++ b/tests/test_search_options.py
@@ -316,40 +316,19 @@ class TestSearchOptions(BaseSearchOptions):
     \"""TestRecord search options.\"""
 
     facet_groups ={
-        
             'curator': {
-                
                     'a' : facets.a,
-
-                
                     'g' : facets.g,
-
-                
-            
                 **getattr(BaseSearchOptions, 'facet_groups', {}).get('curator', {})
-            
             },
-        
-            'user': {
-                
-                    'a' : facets.a,
-
-                
-            
-                **getattr(BaseSearchOptions, 'facet_groups', {}).get('user', {})
-            
-            },
-        
             'default': {
-                
                     'b3' : facets.b3,
-
-                
-            
                 **getattr(BaseSearchOptions, 'facet_groups', {}).get('default', {})
-            
             },
-        
+            'user': {
+                    'a' : facets.a,
+                **getattr(BaseSearchOptions, 'facet_groups', {}).get('user', {})
+            },
     }
 
     facets = {
@@ -382,6 +361,140 @@ class TestSearchOptions(BaseSearchOptions):
     )
 
 
+def test_facet_groups_ordering():
+    schema = load_model(
+        DUMMY_YAML,
+        model_content={
+            "record": {
+                "use": "invenio",
+                "module": {"qualified": "test"},
+                "search-options": {
+                    "base-classes": ["BaseSearchOptions"],
+                    "imports": [{"import": "blah.BaseSearchOptions"}],
+                },
+                "properties": {
+                    "a": {
+                        "type": "keyword",
+                        "facets": {"facet-groups": {"curator": 2}},
+                    },
+                    "b": {
+                        "type": "keyword",
+                        "facets": {"facet-groups": {"curator": 3}},
+                    },
+                    "c": {
+                        "type": "keyword",
+                        "facets": {"facet-groups": {"curator": 1}},
+                    },
+                },
+            },
+        },
+        isort=False,
+        black=False,
+        autoflake=False,
+    )
+
+    filesystem = InMemoryFileSystem()
+    builder = create_builder_from_entrypoints(filesystem=filesystem)
+
+    builder.build(schema, "record", ["record"], "")
+
+    data = builder.filesystem.open(
+        os.path.join("test", "services", "records", "search.py")
+    ).read()
+    print(data)
+    data2 = builder.filesystem.open(
+        os.path.join("test", "services", "records", "facets.py")
+    ).read()
+    print(data2)
+    data3 = builder.filesystem.read(
+        os.path.join("test", "records", "mappings", "os-v2", "test", "test-1.0.0.json")
+    )
+    import json
+
+    data3 = json.loads(data3)
+    print(data3)
+    assert (
+        strip_whitespaces(
+            """
+                 'c': facets.c,
+                 'a': facets.a,
+                 'b': facets.b,
+    """
+        )
+        in strip_whitespaces(data)
+    )
+
+
+def test_top_level_facet_groups_ordering():
+    schema = load_model(
+        DUMMY_YAML,
+        model_content={
+            "record": {
+                "use": "invenio",
+                "module": {"qualified": "test"},
+                "search-options": {
+                    "base-classes": ["BaseSearchOptions"],
+                    "imports": [{"import": "blah.BaseSearchOptions"}],
+                },
+                "facets": {
+                    "facet-groups": {
+                        "curator": {
+                            "a": 2,
+                            "b": 3,
+                            "c": 1,
+                        }
+                    }
+                },
+                "properties": {
+                    "a": {
+                        "type": "keyword",
+                    },
+                    "b": {
+                        "type": "keyword",
+                    },
+                    "c": {
+                        "type": "keyword",
+                    },
+                },
+            },
+        },
+        isort=False,
+        black=False,
+        autoflake=False,
+    )
+
+    filesystem = InMemoryFileSystem()
+    builder = create_builder_from_entrypoints(filesystem=filesystem)
+
+    builder.build(schema, "record", ["record"], "")
+
+    data = builder.filesystem.open(
+        os.path.join("test", "services", "records", "search.py")
+    ).read()
+    print(data)
+    data2 = builder.filesystem.open(
+        os.path.join("test", "services", "records", "facets.py")
+    ).read()
+    print(data2)
+    data3 = builder.filesystem.read(
+        os.path.join("test", "records", "mappings", "os-v2", "test", "test-1.0.0.json")
+    )
+    import json
+
+    data3 = json.loads(data3)
+    print(data3)
+    assert (
+        strip_whitespaces(
+            """
+                 'c': facets.c,
+                 'a': facets.a,
+                 'b': facets.b,
+    """
+        )
+        in strip_whitespaces(data)
+    )
+
+
 def test_replace_sort_options():
     schema = load_model(
         DUMMY_YAML,