PIVOTTABLES AND PIVOTCHARTS Training Handout and Quick Reference Guide
Starlight Education For Educational Purposes
Abstract PivotTables and PivotCharts allow users to analyze and summarize a million rows of data in Excel 2010 without entering a single formula. This guide, prepared by Starlight Education trainers, will guide the user through the steps to create and format PivotTable reports and PivotCharts. The guide includes exercises, tips, and a quick reference guide.
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CONTENTS
PIVOTTABLES & PIVOTTABLE CHARTS ...........................................................................................................................2
CREATING A PIVOTTABLE ...........................................................................................................................................3
FILTERING OR SORTING DATA IN A PIVOTTABLE ...............................................................................................................4
SLICERS ..................................................................................................................................................................6
DESIGNING PIVOTTABLE REPORTS ................................................................................................................................7
PIVOTTABLE DESIGN TOOLS ........................................................................................................................................8
CREATING A BASIC PIVOTCHART ..................................................................................................................................9
TO ADD A PIVOTCHART ........................................................................................................................................................................ 9
APPENDIX ............................................................................................................................................................ 10
QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE ......................................................................................................................................... 10
BASIC CONCEPTS: TERMINOLOGY USED IN PIVOTTABLES ........................................................................................................................... 10 HOW TO CREATE A PIVOTTABLE ........................................................................................................................................................... 10 PIVOTTABLE CAPABILITIES ................................................................................................................................................................... 11 THINGS TO NOTE ABOUT PIVOTTABLES .................................................................................................................................................. 11 REFRESHING DATA ............................................................................................................................................................................. 12 GROUPING A DATE FIELD .................................................................................................................................................................... 12 SORTING ITEMS ................................................................................................................................................................................. 13 INSERTING A CALCULATED FIELD ........................................................................................................................................................... 13 INSERTING FIELDS TO CALCULATE % AND MORE ...................................................................................................................................... 13 INSERTING A CHART FROM PIVOTTABLE DATA ......................................................................................................................................... 14
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PivotTables & PivotTable Charts
A PivotTable report allows you to analyze and summarize a million rows of data in Excel 2010
without entering a single formula. PivotTables let you select data fields to compare, or “pivot”, your
information in ways that pare down large data tables into specific, useful summaries using filtering and
sorting options. PivotTables are incredibly flexible and you can create any number reports from
different styles. PivotTables have Report Zones that control the page layout for the report.
Pivot Charts are a visual representation of PivotTable results, displaying summaries in a variety of
chart and graph formats. Pivot Charts make it easy to identify important trends and present this data to
others. Like PivotTables, PivotCharts are much easier to create in the new user interface. All of the
filtering improvements are also available for PivotCharts. When you create a PivotChart, specific
PivotChart tools and context menus are available so that you can analyze the data in the chart. You can
also change the layout, style, and format of the chart or its elements the same way that you can for a
regular chart. Excel 2010 preserves the chart formatting you apply when you make changes to the
PivotChart. This is an improvement over the way it worked in earlier versions of Excel.
PivotTable
Available Fields
Filter Pane
PivotChart
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Creating a PivotTable
PivotTables and PivotCharts are most useful when applied to large tables of raw data. The requirement
is that you have unique headings in the first row, and no blank rows or blank columns in the data. For
best results, keep your numeric columns filled with numeric data and replace any blank cells with a
zero. The PivotTable uses column labels to identify and name data fields.
1. Select one cell in the dataset.
2. From the Insert ribbon, choose the top half
of the PivotTable icon.
3. Excel will predict that your data includes
the current region around your selected cell.
Make sure this is what you want before you
click OK.
The “Create PivotTable” window opens with the table showing the range of cells in the data set. By default, Excel selects the “New Worksheet” option for placing the PivotTables.
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4. To include a field in the PivotTable summary, simply checkmark the field in the PivotTable
Field List.
a. Excel added Text fields to the Row Label Zone automatically.
b. The user can drag the fields to the Column Label Zone as required.
c. Excel places Numeric fields in the Values Zone automatically.
Filtering or Sorting Data in a PivotTable
Filtering is a good way to emphasize or ‘get at’ important or relevant information within a larger set of
data.Label filters will allow you to filter using comparative criteria.
The Sales Rep field has been placed
in the Report Filter zone. As you
can see from the example on the
right, all of the Sales Reps are
represented in the report but if you
wanted to analyze the performance of
only “1” rep, you could uncheck all
and select only those reps you want to
see in the report. One of the new
features to PivotTables is the option
to select multiple items to query.
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When you “hover” your mouse over a field in one of the zones, you will see a menu that offers choices
where you can sort or filter the field. Use filters to narrow the range of information displayed in a
PivotTable report.
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Excel 2010 PivotTable
Slicers
Slicers are visual filters that users
can attach to PivotTables,
PivotCharts, and other data
sources.
1. Click on the Insert Tab and click Slicer in the
filter group.
2. In the Insert Slicers dialog box, check the box
beside each field you want to create a slicer.
Click OK to place the slicer box(es) on your
worksheet
3. In the slicer box, click a button to filter the data.
To remove a slicer filter: click the “remove filter” icon in the slicer box.
To edit slicer properties: right-click the slicer and choose Slicer Settings from the menu.
Make changes and click OK.
Tip: More slicer options, including a style gallery, are available under the Options tab, which appears on
the ribbon.
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Designing PivotTable Reports
Changing a PivotTable’s visual elements can highlight areas of particular interest or make the table
more presentation-ready. When the PivotTable is active there will be “2” additional PivotTable tools
available: Options and Design. In the Options mode there are designated categories that allow you to
display or remove field headers, or to group dates into months and years. In the Options, you can create
filtered report pages based on fields in the report filter zone.
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PivotTable Design Tools
The Design ribbon offers a gallery where you can quickly apply a format to the PivotTable.
To change a PivotTable’s visual style, click anywhere in the PivotTable to select it.
Under the design tab, click on a thumbnail from the PivotTable styles gallery to choose a
new style. Click “here” to open a window with more options. Excel 2010 provides a “live
preview” of the formats applied to your report as a preview.
To change a PivotTable’s layout: click
anywhere in the PivotTable to select it.
Under the design tab click Report Layout
in the report layout group.
To add banded rows or columns to a
PivotTable: click anywhere in the
PivotTable to select it. Under the design
tab click Banded Rows and Banded
Columns check box in the PivotTable
style options group.
To display or remove grand totals in a
PivotTable report: click anywhere in the
PivotTable to select it. Under the design tab
click Grand Totals in the Layout group and
choose the desired option from the menu.
To add a blank line between groups: click
anywhere in the PivotTable to select it. Under
the design tab click Blank Rows in the layout
group and choose Insert Blank Line after Each
Item from the menu. To remove blank lines,
choose Remove Blank Line after Each Item
from the menu.
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Creating a Basic PivotChart
PivotCharts provide a graphic representation of data relationships and trends based on the way the user
arranges information in a PivotTable report.
To add a PivotChart: Click anywhere in an existing PivotTable to select it. Under the Options tab,
click PivotChart in the Tools group.
In the Insert Chart dialog box, select a desired chart type (column, line, pie).Click ok to insert the
selected chart. When you select the PivotChart, the PivotChart Filter Pane will display by default.
Once your chart is active, you will have “3” tabs in Chart Tools; Design, Layout, and Format, where
you can format PivotCharts and add or remove PivotChart Elements.
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Appendix
Quick Reference Guide
Basic Concepts: Terminology Used in PivotTables
Field The Header at the top of a column in a data table
Item Numeric data or text in the Field column
Data Area detailing the data in the lower part of the PivotTable, including columns with
numeric data.
Row Field A Field that is positioned as a row in the lower left of the PivotTable
Column Field A Field that positioned as a column in the row above the data in the PivotTable.
Page Field A Field that is positioned in the upper left of the PivotTable
How to Create a PivotTable
Steps to Create PivotTable Procedure Description
Step 1 Select a single cell inside the data
range and select Data, PivotTable,
Pivot Chart Report
The PivotTable Wizard launches
Step 2 In Step 1 of the PivotTable Wizard,
indicate that your data is coming
from a Microsoft Excel list or
database
Although the data will usually
come from Excel, you have the
opportunity to pull the data from
an external data source such as
Microsoft Access
Step 3 Click next to go to Step 2 of the
Wizard. Specify the range of data that
you want to use. Click Next…
If you selected a single cell in a
range of data in List Format, the
range specified in Step 2 will be
correct.
Step 4 You are now on Step 3 of 3, click the
layout button at the bottom of the
page
Click the layout button to build
the PivotTable. You simply drag
the gray field buttons and drop
them onto the corresponding
sections of the white box
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PivotTable Capabilities
Our sample data contains over 1,000 rows of sales data by Region, Product and Date Sold. The basic premise of a
PivotTable is that it lets you create a “cross-tab” analysis. A PivotTable can also sort, filter, create dynamic subtotals
by dragging fields to different locations, add calculated formulas, and create a chart that linked automatically to
dynamic data. In this case, one can analyze all of the regions listed in rows on the left column and all of the products
placed across the first row of each column. At the intersection of each region and product, you see the Total Income
displayed.
Region Product Date Sold Price Each Total Income
South Exercise Machines 16-Jan-07 400 400
South Exercise Machines 30-Jan-07 400 400
North Exercise Machines 12-Feb-07 400 400
North Golf Balls 26-Jan-07 20 20
Central Stepper Machines 7-Feb-07 110 110
Central Baseballs 22-Jan-07 10 20
South Baseballs 1-Feb-07 10 20
North Footballs 5-Feb-07 15 30
Central Gloves 25-Jan-07 12 24
Central Gloves 9-Feb-07 12 24
Central Rowing Machines 30-Jan-07 195 390
Table 1
Sum of Total Income Product
Region Baseballs Basketballs Exercise Machines
Central 310 240 36036
North 120 320 24000
South 70 204 42800
Grand Total 500 764 102836
Grand Total
63878
43782
71724
179384
Table 2
Things to Note about PivotTables
1. If you are on a worksheet with a PivotTable, the PivotTable toolbar will appear.
2. When you drop a field with numeric value in the “Data” section, Excel will want to summarize using the sum
or count function. PivotTable Field Settings will allow you to use different functions.
3. The data can have only one header row that must be unique.
4. The table cannot have subtotal rows, empty rows or columns, or totals.
5. After creating a PivotTable, the user can format it by selecting AutoFormat from the PivotTable toolbar.
Sample Data
PivotTable
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Once you have created the PivotTable, you can drag field headings to change the look of the PivotTable.
In our example, we want to create individual data analysis reports for each regional manager. In this case, we will
use the Page Field of the PivotTable. In Table 3 (below), we have modified the PivotTable to filter by the Region field
and display Products sold by date in the row. Whenever there are at least two fields in the row section, subtotals
appear automatically. The Field settings command allow for three types of subtotals:
1. Automatic
2. Custom
3. None
Region (All)
Sum of Total Income
Product Date Sold Total
Baseballs 4-Jan-07 $50.00
5-Jan-07 $60.00
22-Jan-07 $20.00
23-Jan-07 $200.00
1-Feb-07 $20.00
8-Feb-07 $100.00
15-Feb-07 $30.00
16-Feb-07 $20.00
Baseballs Total $500.00
Basketballs 2-Jan-07 $180.00
4-Jan-07 $96.00
19-Jan-07 $84.00
22-Jan-07 $120.00
6-Feb-07 $120.00
14-Feb-07 $144.00
16-Feb-07 $20.00
Basketballs Total $764.00
Refreshing Data
The PivotTable does not link automatically to the data table. During the construction of the PivotTable, Excel stores
the source data in the computer’s memory (cache). This component stores data so the computer system can serve
future requests for that data faster. If the user updates/changes the original source data, the PivotTable data will
not reflect these changes until the user clicks on the Refresh Data icon (red exclamation point on the PivotTable
toolbar). Excel then takes a new snapshot of the data and updates the PivotTable results.
Grouping a Date Field
By grouping the Date field, you can create filtering queries and sum data according to day, month, quarter, and year
or even by the number of days. To do this, make sure that a date field is in the row. Select a date, right-click, select
Group and Outline from the shortcut menu, and then select Group. In the Grouping dialog box, select Days,
Months, Quarters, and Years.
In this case, we placed the Region field in the
Page field section and positioned the Product
and Date Sold in the Row section.
One of the advantages of placing fields in the
Page field section is that you can create
individual Page worksheet tabs for each
Region.
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Sorting Items
You can sort PivotTable items according to a selected field, according to Excel’s sorting rules. Select an item in the
Row field. Click the Sort Ascending or Sort Descending icon, or from the Data menu, select Sort.
Inserting a Calculated Field
Calculated fields are fields with formulas. The dynamic formulas you insert into the PivotTable will allow you to
perform calculations between fields or in a single field.
1. Select one of the cells in the data area of the PivotTable.
2. On the PivotTable toolbar, select PivotTable, Formulas, Calculated Field.
3. In the Name box, type the name of the formula. This name will be the name of the calculated field and Excel
will save the formula with the new field name.
4. In the Fields box, select the value field, which will be part of the formula…
Example: Create a formula named Discount. In the formula field, type =Total Income * . 02
In the PivotTable, the Discount field would appear to the right of the Total Income column.
Inserting Fields to Calculate % and More
Insert various additional calculated fields by using the Options button in the PivotTable Fields dialog box. You can
choose to view the Show data as options:
Regular
Difference From
% Of
% Difference From
Running Total In
% of Row
% of Column
% of Total
Index
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Inserting a Chart from PivotTable Data
Insert a chart while constructing the PivotTable. The Excel links the automatically to the data in the PivotTable and
every change in the PivotTable data results in a change to the chart.
Product Sum of Total Income
Baseballs 500
Basketballs 764 Exercise Machines 102836
Footballs 4080
Gloves 3165
Golf Balls 7256 Rowing Machines 37305 Stepper Machines 22110
Tennis Balls 1368
Grand Total 179384