PivotTables and PivotCharts in Excel - Detailed Guide
a) What is a PivotTable and PivotChart?
PivotTable:
A PivotTable is an Excel tool that allows you to summarize, analyze, explore, and present
large data sets. You can rearrange (pivot) data to view it from different perspectives—
without changing the original data.
PivotChart:
A PivotChart is the graphical representation of the PivotTable. It updates automatically
when the PivotTable changes.
Things to Remember When Creating a PivotTable:
- Ensure data has no empty columns or rows.
- Every column should have a unique header.
- Convert your data into an Excel Table (Ctrl + T) for dynamic updates.
- Data should be structured properly (e.g., rows = records, columns = variables).
b) How Are PivotTables & Charts Used? — Application with Example
Example: Student Grades Analysis
Student Department Subject Score Semester
A BBA Finance 85 Spring
B CSE Math 78 Spring
C BBA Marketing 90 Fall
D CSE Math 88 Fall
Applications:
- Summarize average scores per department
- Compare performance by semester
- Count number of students by subject
- Create a dynamic report to filter by semester
c) How to Create a PivotTable and PivotChart
Step-by-Step:
1. Select your data range or Excel table.
2. Go to Insert > PivotTable
3. Choose whether to place it in a new worksheet or existing one.
4. Drag fields into:
- Rows (e.g., Department)
- Columns (e.g., Subject)
- Values (e.g., Average of Score)
- Filters (e.g., Semester)
5. To create a PivotChart:
- Click inside the PivotTable
- Go to Insert > PivotChart
- Choose chart type (e.g., Column or Line)
d) Creating PivotTable Reports
Use PivotTables to generate multi-layered reports.
Example: Show average score by subject within each department, filtered by semester
e) How to Fill Empty Cells in PivotTables
By default, blank cells appear if there’s no data.
To fill them:
1. Click on the PivotTable
2. Go to PivotTable Analyze > Options
3. In the dialog box:
- Check “For empty cells show”
- Enter a value like “0” or “N/A”
f) Use of Value Field Settings
Controls how data is summarized (e.g., Sum, Average, Count).
Allows you to:
- Change from Sum to Average
- Show values as % of total, Running Total, Difference From, etc.
To access:
1. Right-click on a number in the PivotTable
2. Click Summarize Values By or Show Values As
3. Or go to Field Settings
g) How to Group Values
You can group:
- Dates: into months, quarters, years
- Numbers: into ranges (e.g., 0–50, 51–100)
- Text: manually group selected items
Steps:
1. Right-click on a row/column label
2. Choose Group
Example: Group scores into performance bands:
- 0–60 → Low
- 61–80 → Average
- 81–100 → High
Right-click on any number in the Row Labels (e.g., 58)
Choose Group
In the dialog box:
Starting at: 0
Ending at: 100
By: 20 (or 10 or 25 depending on how you want to break it up)
Click OK
h) Show Total, Subtotal, Running Total, Percent, Count, Rank
Options:
- Subtotals: Auto-calculated for grouped rows
- Grand Totals: Enable/disable for rows and columns
- Running Total: Show progressive totals (e.g., cumulative sales)
- % of Total: Show each item as percentage of grand total
- Rank: Show position of item within a group
How-To:
- Right-click on Values → Show Values As → Choose desired option
i) How to Add Filters and What Are the Benefits
How:
- Drag any field into the Filters area in PivotTable Fields pane
Benefits:
- Narrow down reports to specific items (e.g., semester = Spring)
- Compare between filters quickly
- Great for interactivity when combined with slicers
j) Updating Data
If your source data changes:
1. Right-click on the PivotTable
2. Click Refresh
If you're using an Excel Table as the source, new rows/columns will be included
automatically when you refresh.
k) What is a Slicer
A slicer is a visual filtering tool for PivotTables or PivotCharts. It allows click-based
filtering instead of dropdowns.
How to Add a Slicer:
1. Click inside PivotTable
2. Go to PivotTable Analyze > Insert Slicer
3. Select field(s) (e.g., Department, Semester)
4. Click to filter your PivotTable or chart instantly
Benefits:
- More intuitive than drop-down filters
- Multiple slicers can be used for interactive dashboards
- Slicers can control multiple PivotTables if connected
Creating a PivotChart with Slicers in Excel
Scenario:
You’re analyzing sales data by Region, Product, and Month.
Sample Data:
Date Region Product Sales
01-Jan-24 East Pen 120
01-Jan-24 West Notebook 300
01-Feb-24 East Pen 180
01-Feb-24 West Pencil 150
01-Mar-24 East Eraser 80
Part 1: Create a PivotTable
Step 1: Select Your Data
Click anywhere inside your dataset
Go to Insert > PivotTable
Choose “New Worksheet” or “Existing Worksheet”
Click OK
Step 2: Add Fields to the PivotTable
In the PivotTable Field List pane:
o Drag Month (or Date) to Rows
o Drag Product to Columns
o Drag Sales to Values
o (Optional) Drag Region to Filters
You now have a table showing Sales by Month and Product.
Part 2: Create a PivotChart
Step 3: Insert a PivotChart
Click inside the PivotTable
Go to Insert > PivotChart
Choose a chart type (e.g., Clustered Column)
Click OK
You now have a chart that updates automatically as the PivotTable changes!
Part 3: Add Slicers for Interactivity
Step 4: Insert Slicers
Click anywhere inside the PivotTable
Go to PivotTable Analyze > Insert Slicer
Select the fields you want to use for filtering (e.g., Region, Product)
Click OK
Slicers will appear as clickable filter panels.
Step 5: Use Slicers to Control the Chart
Click buttons inside the slicers to filter the PivotTable (and the chart updates
instantly)
Hold Ctrl to select multiple items
Use the Clear Filter button on each slicer to reset
Step 6: Customize the Chart and Slicers
Add a Chart Title (click on title to edit)
Right-click chart elements (e.g., axis, data labels) to format
Resize and align slicers neatly next to the chart
Use slicer styles to match the theme of your dashboard
Connect Slicers to Multiple PivotTables
If you have multiple PivotTables (e.g., one for sales and another for profit):
Step 7: Connect One Slicer to Multiple Charts
1. Click on a slicer
2. Go to Slicer > Report Connections
3. Check the boxes for all PivotTables you want to control
4. Click OK
Now that slicer will filter all connected charts simultaneously.
Result:
You now have an interactive dashboard where the chart updates when you:
Click a region or product in the slicer
Select/deselect filters
Update source data (and refresh PivotTable)
Refreshing the Data
When your raw data changes:
1. Click inside the PivotTable
2. Go to PivotTable Analyze > Refresh
The PivotChart and slicers will update automatically.
Practical Example
Dataset:
A university has student performance data across departments and semesters:
Student Department GPA Semester
A BBA 3.5 Spring
B CSE 3.2 Fall
C BBA 3.8 Summer
D LAW 3.1 Spring
Use PivotChart + Slicer to:
Show average GPA by department
Filter by semester
See how department performance changes over terms
