How to Use Pivot Table in Excel

Microsoft Excel’s Pivot Table is an essential tool for data management, analysis, and reporting in business settings. Using Pivot Table, you can quickly sort, group, filter, and summarize large data sets to extract meaningful insights, patterns, and trends. With Pivot Table, you can create customized reports, dashboards, charts, and graphs with just a few clicks, saving you time and effort compared to manually creating these elements. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the basics of Pivot Table, its benefits, and how you can use it to analyze your data effectively.

Understanding Pivot Table

Pivot Table is a powerful tool in Microsoft Excel that enables users to quickly analyze large data sets and create meaningful reports. A Pivot Table summarizes data by sorting, filtering, and grouping it into tables with aggregate functions such as sum, average, and count. Pivot Table is especially handy for creating reports with hierarchies, such as sales by region, month, and product category.

How to Create a Pivot Table

Creating a Pivot Table in Excel is simple and straightforward. Here are the steps:

Step 1: Organize your data

Before you can create a Pivot Table, you must organize your data in a table format. Your data should have headers and rows, and each column should have a unique label. You can use Excel tables, named ranges, or external data sources as your data source.

Step 2: Select your data range

Select the range of cells that you want to use as your data source for the Pivot Table. You can select a cell or range of cells manually, or you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + A to select the entire worksheet.

Step 3: Create your Pivot Table

Go to the ‘Insert’ tab in Excel and click on ‘PivotTable’ in the Tables group. Select your data range and click ‘OK’. Excel will create a new worksheet with a blank Pivot Table.

Step 4: Choose your fields

On the right side of the Pivot Table, you will see the ‘PivotTable Fields’ pane. Drag and drop the fields you want to include in your Pivot Table into the ‘Rows’, ‘Columns’, and ‘Values’ areas, depending on your analysis needs. You can also apply filters, sort your data, and refresh your Pivot Table as needed.

Benefits of Pivot Table

Pivot Table in Excel provides numerous benefits, including:

• Easy customization of reports and data analysis.
• Quick summarization of large data sets into meaningful insights.
• The ability to drill down and explore hierarchies of data.
• The option to visualize your data with graphs, charts, and other visual aids.
• Improved decision-making by providing data insights and trends.

Pivot Table is an essential tool for data analysis in Microsoft Excel. With its powerful features, Pivot Table helps you slice and dice your data to extract meaningful insights and create custom reports. Next time you’re faced with a large data set, try using Pivot Table to save yourself time and effort while uncovering meaningful insights.

Tips for Effective Pivot Table Usage

Here are some additional tips to help you make the most out of your Pivot Table:

• Refresh your Pivot Table as needed – Simply right-click anywhere within the Pivot Table and select the ‘Refresh’ option. This ensures that your Pivot Table is up-to-date with your data source.
• Eliminate Blank Cells and Errors – To remove any blank cells under the “Values” column, click on the drop-down arrow, select “Value Filters,” and choose “Does Not Equal” and leave the box empty. Similarly, to remove error values, right-click on your Pivot Table and go to PivotTable Options and select the “Error” tab.
• Use the Recommended Pivot Table Tool – Excel offers a Recommended Pivot Table feature that automatically suggests Pivot Tables based on your data. This option can be helpful, especially if you’re new to Pivot Tables.
• Use Slicers – Slicers are visual filter tools that enable you to filter data within your Pivot Table by clicking on buttons. This feature is especially effective when presenting data summaries to others.

Pivot Table Shortcuts in Excel

Here are some helpful keyboard shortcuts for using Pivot Table in Excel:

• To create a Pivot Table quickly, select your data range and press Alt + N + V.
• To de-select an individual field from your Pivot Table, simply drag it out of the field list.
• To rename Pivot Table columns, click on the heading, and type in the new name.
• To quickly change the calculation type for your data, right-click on any value cell in the Pivot Table, hover over ‘Value Field Settings,’ and choose ‘Summarize Values By’ and select the calculation you need.

Final Thoughts

Pivot Table in Excel is an indispensable tool for data analysis and reporting purposes. By following the steps outlined above, you can quickly create customized reports that offer data insights and trends. Pivot Table is intuitive, and with a bit of practice, you can master it and open up a whole new level of Excel usefulness. With the helpful tips and tricks provided in this article, you should be able to make informed decisions and save time while working with large data sets.

FAQ Section

Here are some frequently asked questions about Pivot Table in Excel:

What is the best practice for organizing data to use with Pivot Table?

The best practice is to ensure that your data is organized in a tabular format with headers for each column. Each row should represent a unique record, and each column should have a unique label.

Can I create charts and graphs using Pivot Table in Excel?

Yes, you can create charts and graphs using the data summarized in the Pivot Table. Simply select the data range, go to the Insert tab in Excel, and choose the chart or graph type that best suits your needs.

Can I use Pivot Table in Excel with external data sources?

Yes, Pivot Table in Excel can work with external data sources such as Microsoft Access, SQL Server, or Oracle. To use data from an external source, go to the ‘Data’ tab in Excel, select ‘From Other Sources,’ and follow the wizard to connect to your external database.

Do I need to have programming skills to use Pivot Table in Excel?

No, you do not need any programming skills to use Pivot Table in Excel. Pivot Table is a user-friendly tool that requires basic knowledge of Excel’s functions and features.

Can I sort Pivot Table results based on specific criteria?

Yes, you can sort Pivot Table results based on specific criteria. Click on the arrow next to the field you want to sort by and choose ‘Sort A to Z’ or ‘Sort Z to A,’ depending on your preference. You can choose to sort by values, cell color, font color, or any other criteria that are available in the field.