How Do You Use a PivotTable in Excel? Holland, MI

If you haven’t experimented with PivotTables in Microsoft Excel, you’re missing out on a huge feature that can make data analysis a breeze.

A PivotTable lets you extract information from a large data set for further analysis. For example, a department store may want to keep track of their best-selling clothes. 

To do this, you would want to create a PivotTable from an Excel spreadsheet of all purchases. Next, you’d choose what fields you want the PivotTable to display. 

There are many other settings you can manipulate to show the information you need. Continue reading to learn how to use a PivotTable and how our Excel consulting services can help.

1. Narrow Down Your Information Needs

If you have a large pool of data, we recommend thinking carefully about what information you want to analyze. Are you worried that seasonal items aren’t selling as well this year? What categories would be the most useful for filtering and understanding your data set? 

Answering these types of questions will help you narrow down your information needs before you work in Microsoft Excel. That way, you have a clear goal in mind for what you want your PivotTable to display.

2. Check Your Source Data

You’ll need to perfect your source data so you’ll have an easier time creating your PivotTable. For this reason, we ask that you remove any blank rows or columns from your Excel spreadsheet. You’ll also need to remove any subtotals from your data set, as well as catch any discrepancies or repeated groups of data.

3. Create a New PivotTable

One of the main advantages of PivotTables is that you don’t have to use formulas. This means that you won’t have to train your employees as much to understand how PivotTables work. Making a PivotTable in Microsoft Excel is easy and can take less than a minute. Let’s get started.

  1. Click any populated cell inside the data set.
  2. Click the Insert tab on the ribbon.
  3. Click the PivotTable button.
  4. Examine the data in the dialog box that pops up and click OK. (Excel will save your PivotTable in a new worksheet by default.)
  5. Select fields you want to include in the PivotTable.
  6. Select fields you want as filters for the “Report Filter” box.
  7. Select fields you want as column labels for the “Column Labels” box.
  8. Select the field you want for the “Values” box.

4. Expect Dynamic Changes

Your new PivotTable will be dynamic, which means it’ll be able to sync up with the Excel spreadsheet you used. That way, your PivotTable will always show the most up-to-date information. 

The last thing you want to worry about is that you’re not looking at the right data, especially if you need to make an important business decision. However, this also means you should be careful when working with the raw data, as any changes you make will immediately affect the PivotTable. 

5. Request Excel Consulting

You could spend a lot of time changing settings in your PivotTable. If you’re unsure how to analyze the information you have, we recommend our Excel consulting services. Our consultants are able to sit down with you and your team so everyone understands how to use the latest business technology.

Call Today! 

Still have questions about using PivotTables in Microsoft Excel? Interested in switching to Excel 2019? To request a quote for Excel consulting, call Thesis Tech at (888) 705-7253.

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