Excel Data 3: PivotTables

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 Excel Data 3: PivotTables
1.5 hour Classroom* / 1.0 hour Zoom Session
* Classroom sessions include time to repeat exercises for practice
PivotTables .................................................................................................................................................... 3
Planning..................................................................................................................................................... 3
Building ..................................................................................................................................................... 4
Arranging Fields ........................................................................................................................................ 5
Formatting................................................................................................................................................. 6
Pivot Tables - Excel 2016 Help File ................................................................................................................ 7
Create a PivotTable ................................................................................................................................... 7
Working with the PivotTable Fields list..................................................................................................... 8
PivotTable Values ...................................................................................................................................... 8
Refreshing PivotTables ............................................................................................................................ 10
Create a PivotChart ................................................................................................................................. 10
Change the source data .......................................................................................................................... 11
Delete a PivotTable ................................................................................................................................. 11
Class Exercises ............................................................................................................................................. 12
Filters....................................................................................................................................................... 12
Favorite Colors ........................................................................................................................................ 13
Average Income ...................................................................................................................................... 13
Range (High/Low) .................................................................................................................................... 14
First/Last Date ......................................................................................................................................... 14
Grouping Dates ....................................................................................................................................... 15
Grouping Text with no Summary Values ................................................................................................ 15
PivotChart ............................................................................................................................................... 16
PivotChart Filtered Title .......................................................................................................................... 17
Things to Remember ................................................................................................................................... 18

Pandora Rose Cowart

Education/Training Specialist
UF Health IT Training

E-204, Professional Park (352) 273-5051

PO Box 100002 [email protected]
Gainesville, FL 32610-0002 http://training.health.ufl.edu

Class Evaluation: https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1Ojjkl6lRsKV3XT

Updated: 6/27/2022
PivotTables
PivotTables are summary reports. They give you the ability to take a large boring set of repetitive data
and summarize it into a neat table that you can very easily rearrange, filter, format, and even chart.

Here's an example of a repetitive raw data set, three PivotTables, and a PivotChart.

Planning
The most important part of building a PivotTable is planning. You have to remove yourself from the raw
data and think about the final result. There is a learning curve, have patience with yourself and with
Excel and you'll get there.

The Data
The data has to be repetitive. It looks wrong at first, but the more boring and repetitive your data, the
more you can do with it. In the Large Data 1 class we learn about sorting and filtering in Excel. We don't
need to keep each quarter, each department, each person on a different sheet. If we keep all of the data
in the same place, we can look at each category, one at a time, using the filter, and beautifully because it
is all in the same place, we can look across categories and quickly summarize with a PivotTable.

The data has to be consistent. We don't want to see entries like: 4th Qtr, 4th Quarter, Qtr 4. In the
Large Data 3 (vLookups) class we'll learn about validation rules, and in Large Data 4 (report) we'll see
how to use vLookups to help us cleanup inconsistent data entry.

The definition of a database is a structured collection of related data. Rows of a data table are records.
When we filter in Excel, the Status Bar tells us how many Records were found.

Columns of a data table are fields. The column titles of your original dataset will appear in the
PivotTable Field List. You will use these titles to control the structure of the PivotTable. If possible, use
clear, concise, and unique column titles. If you use the same column title more than once, Excel will add
a number after the subsequent titles. Example: Home Address, City, State, Zip, Work Address, City, State,
Zip becomes Home Address, City, State, Zip, Work Address, City(2), State(2), Zip(2).

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The Result
By all means, jump in and play with the tools, get comfortable with how to make a PivotTable. But when
it comes down to needing a specific report, you have to "show your work". Think about what it is you
actually want to see.

"I want to know how many items we ordered." Okay. Do you care what the items were? Do you care
about the data across the year, or do you only want the total? What about the other details? Each
versus boxes? Would you like to compare your orders to another departments?

"I want to know how many patients were admitted last month." Okay. Do you want to see the break
down by time, perhaps by morning and afternoon? By shift? By Department? Or would you like to have
the flexibility to change (filter) the shifts and departments?

The more you think about what you want out of the glorious summary report known as a PivotTable, the
better it will come together for you.

Building
The PivotTable field list shows the column titles of our original dataset, these are our Fields. If you
rename, add, or delete columns in the dataset you will not see the change here until you refresh the
data. The Refresh button is on the Analyze tab of the PivotTable Tools, and can be found on the shortcut
menu if you right-click inside the table.

• Fields in the Filters will appear above the table.

• Fields in the Columns will appear at the top of

each column of the PivotTable.

• Fields in the Rows will appear at the left of each

row of the PivotTable.

• Fields in the Values will be summarized. By

default, text and date fields will be counted,
number fields will be summed.

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Arranging Fields
Adding
• Click the check box in front of the field name
− Text fields will go into the Rows showing each unique value from the dataset
− Date fields will go into the Rows grouping the values across time
− Number fields will go into the Value as a sum
• Drag fieldname from the field list to an area
− You will have to drag to add a field to the value area multiple times
• Right-click on the fieldname in the field list and choose an area
Moving
• Drag fieldname from an area to a new area
• Right-click on the fieldname in the field list and choose a new area
• Left-click on a field in an area and choose a new area
Deleting
• Drag fieldname out of the area section
• Left-click on a field in the area and choose Remove Field

Value Field Settings

Fields added to the value section are summarized within the grouping of the row and column headings
set in the PivotTable. Numbers will sum, other values will be counted. To change how the data is
summarized, left-click on the fieldname in the Values area and choose Value Field Settings.

You can reformat your numbers with the Excel formatting tools, but if you reformat from the Value Field
Settings window you'll format the Table, this means if you change the structure of your table by adding
fields you won't have to reformat any new cells occupied by the table.

Page 7 of this handout discusses the Show Values As options.

It is possible to create other
summary options, but it's
beyond the scope of this
class. If you would like to
explore, look at the Fields,
Items, & Sets option on the
Analyze tab.

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Formatting
The PivotTable Design tab has lots of style options to make the PivotTable look good. Change the
Options settings to see how they vary in the style you chose.

The style options help with the look of the data, but in my opinion
the first set of buttons on the Design tab are way better, as they
determine how the data is pulled together within the PivotTable.

Original Subtotals at Bottom, Blank Rows inserted

No Subtotals, no Grand Totals

Report Layout: Outline

Report Layout: Tabular, no Subtotals, Blank

Rows inserted

Notice with the Outline and Tabular Report

Layouts the Row Labels are no longer
grouped, instead you see a heading for each
column and row label.

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Pivot Tables - Excel 2016 Help File
Create a PivotTable
If you have limited experience with PivotTables, or are not sure how to get started, a Recommended
PivotTable is a good choice. When you use this feature, Excel determines a meaningful layout by
matching the data with the most suitable areas in the PivotTable. This helps give you a starting point for
additional experimentation. After a recommended PivotTable is created, you can explore different
orientations and rearrange fields to achieve your specific results.
Recommended PivotTable Manually create a PivotTable
1. Click a cell in the source data or table 1. Click a cell in the source data or table range.
range. 2. Go to Insert > Tables > PivotTable.
2. Go to Insert > Tables > Recommended
PivotTable.

If you're using Excel for Mac 2011 and earlier,

the PivotTable button is on the Data tab in the
3. Excel analyzes your data and presents Analysis group.
you with several options, like in this
example using the household expense 3. Excel will display the Create PivotTable dialog
data. with your range or table name selected. In this
case, we're using a table called
"tbl_HouseholdExpenses".

4. In the Choose where you want the PivotTable

report to be placed section, select New
Worksheet, or Existing Worksheet. For
4. Select the PivotTable that looks best to Existing Worksheet, you'll need to select both
you and press OK. Excel will create a the worksheet and the cell where you want
PivotTable on a new sheet, and display the PivotTable placed.
the PivotTable Fields List. 5. If you want to include multiple tables or data
sources in your PivotTable, click the Add this
data to the Data Model check box.
6. Click OK, and Excel will create a blank
PivotTable, and display the PivotTable Fields
list.

This page is from the Excel 2016

PivotTable Help file

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Working with the PivotTable Fields list

In the Field Name area at the top, select the check box for any field you want to add to your PivotTable.
By default, non-numeric fields are added to the Row area, date and time fields are added to the Column
area, and numeric fields are added to the Values area. You can also manually drag-and-drop any
available item into any of the PivotTable fields, or if you no longer want an item in your PivotTable,
simply drag it out of the Fields list or uncheck it. Being able to rearrange Field items is one of the
PivotTable features that makes it so easy to quickly change its appearance.

PivotTable Fields list Corresponding fields in a PivotTable

PivotTable Values
• Summarize Values By
By default, PivotTable fields that are placed in the Values area will
be displayed as a SUM. If Excel interprets your data as text, it will
be displayed as a COUNT. This is why it's so important to make
sure you don't mix data types for value fields. You can change the
default calculation by first clicking on the arrow to the right of the
field name, then select the Value Field Settings option.

This page is from the Excel 2016

PivotTable Help file

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 Next, change the calculation in the
Summarize Values By section. Note that
when you change the calculation
method, Excel will automatically append
it in the Custom Name section, like "Sum
of FieldName", but you can change it. If
you click the Number Format button,
you can change the number format for
the entire field.

Tip: Since the changing the calculation in

the Summarize Values By section will
change the PivotTable field name, it's
best not to rename your PivotTable
fields until you're done setting up your
PivotTable. One trick is to use Find &
Replace (Ctrl+H) >Find what > "Sum of",
then Replace with > leave blank to replace
everything at once instead of manually
retyping.

• Show Values As

Instead of using a calculation to summarize the data, you can also display it as a percentage of a
field. In the following example, we changed our household expense amounts to display as a % of
Grand Total instead of the sum of the values.

Once you've opened the Value Field

Setting dialog, you can make your
selections from the Show Values As tab.

• Display a value as both a calculation

and percentage.

Simply drag the item into the Values

section twice, then set the Summarize
Values By and Show Values As options
for each one.

This page is from the Excel 2016

PivotTable Help file

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Refreshing PivotTables

If you add new data to your PivotTable data source, any PivotTables
that were built on that data source need to be refreshed.

To refresh just one PivotTable, you can right-click anywhere in the

PivotTable range, then select Refresh.

If you have multiple PivotTables, first select any cell in any PivotTable,
then on the Ribbon go to PivotTable Tools > Analyze > Data > Click
the arrow under the Refresh button and select Refresh All.

Create a PivotChart
1. Click anywhere in the PivotTable to show the PivotTable Tools on the ribbon.
2. Click Analyze > PivotChart.

3. In the Insert Chart dialog box, click the chart

type and chart subtype you want.

You can use any chart type except an XY

(scatter), bubble, or stock chart.
4. Click OK.
5. In the PivotChart that appears, click any
interactive control, and then pick the sort or
filtering options.

After you create a PivotChart, you can customize it, much like you’d do with any standard charts.
When you select the PivotChart two buttons appear
next to the chart so you can quickly add or change
chart elements such as titles or data labels, or change
the chart style and colors of your PivotChart the same
way you would in a standard chart.
The PivotChart Tools are shown on the ribbon.
On the Analyze, Design, and Format tabs, you can
pick options to work with or customize your
PivotChart.

This page is from the Excel 2016

PivotTable Help file

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Change the source data

After you create a PivotTable, you can change the range of its source data. For example, you can expand
the source data to include more rows of data. However, if the source data has been changed
substantially—such as having more or fewer columns, consider creating a new PivotTable.

To change the data source of a PivotTable if it's a range of cells or an Excel table, do the following:

1. Click anywhere in the PivotTable to show the PivotTable Tools on the

ribbon.
2. Click Analyze > Change Data Source.
3. In the Table/Range box, enter the range you want to use.

Tip: Leave the dialog box open, and then select the table or range on your worksheet. If the data you
want to include is on a different worksheet, click that worksheet, and then select the table or range.

Delete a PivotTable

When you no longer need a PivotTable, select the entire PivotTable, and press the Delete key to remove
it. If you get a "Cannot change this part of a PivotTable report" message, make sure the entire
PivotTable is selected. Press Ctrl+A, and press Delete again.

If you're using a device that doesn't have a keyboard, try removing the PivotTable like this:

1. Pick a cell anywhere in the PivotTable to show the PivotTable Tools on the ribbon.

2. Click Analyze > Select, and then pick Entire PivotTable.

3. Press Delete.

Tip: If your PivotTable is on a separate sheet that has

no other data you want to keep, deleting that sheet is a
fast way to remove the PivotTable.

This page is from the Excel 2016

PivotTable Help file

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Class Exercises
Filters
1) Open File: PivotSales.xlsx
• If necessary, move to cell A1
2) From the Insert tab, choose PivotTable
• Click OK to make a new PivotTable based on the
current dataset on a new worksheet.
3) Set up the table to look like this:

4) Filter inside the PivotTable:

• Use the Quarter filter to show only 1st Quarter
• Use the title Row Labels to filter out the Socks
• Use the title Row Labels to filter out the Small
o Remember to either click on the category
first, or change the selected field box to Size

5) Filter from the PivotTable field list:

• Turn off the +/- Buttons and the Field Headers from the
PivotTable Tools Analyze tab
• Use the filter arrow next to Color in the PivotTable Field list to
remove all the Red items

RESULT

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Favorite Colors
1) Open File: PivotSurvey.xlsx
• If necessary, move to cell A1
2) From the Insert tab, choose PivotTable
• Choose Existing Worksheet
• Type in G5 and click OK
3) Add Fav Color to the Rows
4) Add Fav Color to the Values RESULT
• Since Fav Color is text, we get COUNT
5) Sort the values so the most popular color is first
• Click on a number in the table, choose sort descending
from the ribbon or right-click menu
• From the PivotTable Tools Analyze Tab, Move PivotTable to
a new sheet, or Clear All.

Average Income
1) Recreate PivotTable structure, if necessary, otherwise skip to step 2
• Open File: PivotSurvey.xlsx
• move to cell A1
• From the Insert tab, choose PivotTable
• Choose Existing Worksheet
• Type in G5 and click OK
2) Use fields Fav Color, Degree, Income
3) In the Values area of the field list, click on
Income, choose Value Field Settings
4) Choose Average
5) Click Number Format
• Set as a number with a comma and zero
decimals

RESULT
The blank values in the table mean there's no data
that matches the grouping. If you would prefer to
see something, such as a zero or N/A:
- Click the Options button, on the far left side of
the Analyze tab.
- On the first page of the options window,
Layout & Formatting, put what you would like
to see in the For Empty Cells Show: option.

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Range (High/Low)
1) Open File: PivotKangarooRats.xlsx
• If necessary, move to cell A1
2) From the Insert tab, choose PivotTable
• Choose Existing Worksheet
• Type in F10 and click OK

We want the temperature range for each rat. So we need

Rat as a row label, and temp in the values twice. The first
temp should be the Min, second the Max.

3) Rats in Rows, Temp in Value

• Drag a second Temp into Value RESULT
4) Click on the first Sum of Temp in the Values area,
choose Value Field Settings
• Summarize Values By Min
• Number Format 1 decimal place
• Custom Name: Low Temp
5) Click on the Sum of Temp (2) in the Values area, choose
Value Field Settings
• Summarize Values By Max
• Number Format 1 decimal place
• Custom Name: High Temp
6) From the PivotTable Tools Analyze Tab, Move
PivotTable to a new sheet, or Clear All.

First/Last Date
Repeat this exercise but use the Date as the value. Minimum
dates are Earliest, Maximum are Latest. Don't forget to reformat
the date as a Date!
• From the PivotTable Tools Analyze Tab, Move
PivotTable to a new sheet, or Clear All.

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Grouping Dates
We want the average weight, with zero decimals for all
the rats by months and years.
1) Recreate PivotTable structure, if necessary,
otherwise skip to step 2
• Open File: PivotKangarooRats.xlsx
• Move to cell A1
• From the Insert tab, choose PivotTable
• Choose Existing Worksheet
• Type in G5 and click OK
2) In the field list, click the checkbox for the Date
field to add it to the Rows area
• Try the +/- (expand/collapse) buttons to see
the different date groupings
• Notice the new fields in the field list
• This happens automatically, if all the values are
dates. If even a single cell in the original data
column is not a date, you will not be able to
group. Use your sort tools on the original data
to find the values that don't belong.
3) From the PivotTable Tools Analyze Tab, Move PivotTable to a new sheet, or Clear All.
RESULT

Grouping Text with no Summary Values

1) Open PivotCustomers.xlsx RESULT
2) From the Insert tab, choose PivotTable
• Click OK to make a new PivotTable based on the current dataset on a
new worksheet.
3) Row Labels: County, City, Last
4) Format
• Sort County Z-A; Sort City Z-A
• Turn off the +/- buttons (Analyze Tab)
• Autofit Columns
5) Design Tab
• Subtotals – Do not show subtotals
• Grand Totals – Off for rows and columns
• Report Layout – Show in Tabular Form
• Blank Rows – Insert blank line after each item

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PivotChart
When you create a PivotChart, Excel will create a PivotTable
to support the chart. I recommend building the PivotTable
before creating the chart.
1) Open File: PivotSales.xlsx
• If necessary, move to cell A1
2) From the Insert tab, choose PivotTable
• Click OK to make a new PivotTable based on the
current dataset on a new worksheet.
3) Create this table:

4) On the PivotTable Analyze tab, choose PivotChart.

Click OK to accept the Clustered Column chart

5) Turn to the Design tab in the Ribbon, click on the last

button Move Chart. Move to a new sheet.

6) Add the field Color to the PivotChart's Legend area

7) Return to PivotTable, move Size from Columns into

Rows. Table and Chart should both change.

RESULT

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PivotChart Filtered Title
1) Add the field Quarter to the PivotChart's
Filters area

2) Filter the chart to only show 1st Quarter

3) We can see the filtered value above the

table but not on the chart.

4) Click anywhere in the chart. Look for the big plus sign in the
upper right hand corner. Click on it and choose Chart Title.

5) Click on the newly created Chart Title. Do not type inside the
title, instead once it's selected click in the formula bar.

6) Press the equal sign on the keyboard, use your

mouse to move back to the PivotTable, click in Cell B1
and press Enter

7) Change the Filter to 2nd Quarter

RESULT

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 Things to Remember
1) Pivot Tables and the source data don't have to exist in the same workbook. If you forgot where
the original data is located, go to the Change Data Source option on the Analyze tab.

2) Double-clicking on a cell within the PivotTable will create a copy of the breakdown of the data
inside a table on a new sheet. This is a COPY and not linked to the original in any way. I
recommend deleting it, or moving it to a different workbook.

3) To move a sheet to a different book, right-click on the sheet name and choose Move or Copy…
change the dropdown To Book.

4) The +/- Buttons will expand and collapse the grouped data for that entry. You can do the entire
group at once from the Expand Field and Collapse Field buttons in the PivotTable Analyze tab.
The option to turn off the +/- buttons is on the far right side of the Analysis tab.

5) Changing the Report Layout on the PivotTable Tools Design tab to Outline or Layout will give
each field name its own filter arrow and title.

6) Report filters are meant for one choice. If you want multiple choices include the field in the
PivotTable, or try a Slicer instead.

7) Any Chart inserted while you're in a PivotTable will be a PivotChart.

8) Can't undo? Afraid you messed everything up? Close without saving. It's the Ultimate Undo, or
use F12 on the keyboard to Save As a new file.

9) My email address and phone number are on the second page of this packet!

Source: http://media.news.health.ufl.edu/misc/training/Handouts/zoom/Excel/ExcelData3-PivotTables.pdf

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