Key Skills > > Pivot Tables

Pivot Table Topics on Contextures

Use Excel Pivot Tables to quickly summarize data from a list or Excel table. See how to get started, then learn more about the power of pivot tables!

Author: Debra Dalgleish

Pivot Tables - Getting Started

These popular tutorials show how to get started with Excel Pivot Tables, so you can summarize data in the way you need it.

1 --How to Set Up Excel Pivot Table for Beginners -- Having trouble with Excel pivot tables? What goes where? See how to plan, get ideas, build what you need. Sample Excel file, written steps, video

2 --How to Create a Pivot Table in Excel -- Follow these easy steps to create an Excel pivot table, to summarize Excel data. Watch a video, try an interactive pivot, follow written steps, get free workbook

3 --How to Format Excel Pivot Table -- How to format an Excel pivot table, using pivottable styles and custom styles

4 --Excel Pivot Table Refresh -- How to refresh Excel pivot table, manually or automatically. Steps for normal pivot table or data model pivot table

5 --Excel Pivot Table Report Layout -- Excel Pivot table is in Compact Layout by default. Change to Outline or Tabluar. How each layout works.

6 --How to Count Duplicates With Excel Pivot Table -- Easy steps and video show how to count duplicates in a list with an Excel pivot table. Download free workbook

Pivot Tables - Next Level

After you know the pivot table basics, these tutorials can help take your skills to the next level.

1 --Use Excel Pivot Table Calculated Field or Calculated Item -- Videos and written steps show how to create Excel pivot table calculated item. See the features, restrictions, warnings. Step by step videos, free workbooks

2 --How to Create Excel Pivot Table Calculated Field Examples -- Examples how to create calculated field in pivot table, and remove temporarily or permanently. Video and written step-by-step instructions

3 --Excel Pivot Table Calculated Item -- Videos and written steps show how to create Excel pivot table calculated item. See the features, restrictions, warnings. Step by step videos, free workbooks

4 --How to Expand and Collapse Pivot Table Fields Levels -- How to collapse and expand specific items in a pivot field, or entire pivot field. Settings do not affect filtered items

5 --Excel Pivot Table Filters - Top 10 -- Use Excel Pivot Table Filters to focus on the top 10, bottom 10 or a specific portion of the total values in your data.

6 --Quickly Filter Excel Pivot Tables With Slicers -- Use Excel slicers to filter one or more pivot tables. Identify filtered items at a glance, and see dependent items.

Pivot Tables - Dig Deeper

Next, check out these tutorials that help you solve pivot table problems, and explore pivot tables' advanced capabilities and features. Also, you'll find macros to help you manage your pivot tables.

1 --Create Custom Reports With Excel GetPivotData Function -- Create custom reports in Excel using GetPivotData function to pull data from a pivot table, technique by Roger Govier

2 --Add Pivot Table Conditional Formatting and Fix Problems -- Avoid pivot table conditional formatting problems! Short video shows easy setup steps. Follow along with free workbook. How to fix problems on pivot refresh

3 --Excel Pivot Table Data Source Macros List Info VBA -- Excel macro lists all pivot tables with data source location. Excel macro change data source for all pivot tables.

4 --How to Troubleshoot and Fix Excel Pivot Table Errors -- How to troubleshoot and fix Excel pivot table errors, such as "PivotTable field name is not valid". Find the problem, and fix it

Pivot Charts - Getting Started

These tutorials show how to get started with Excel Pivot Charts, and fix a few simple problems you might have when you build them.

1 --Excel Pivot Chart How to Compare Years Separate Lines -- Easy steps show how to compare years in Excel pivot chart in separate lines. Short video, written steps. Best way to group dates and set up pivot chart

2 --How to Fix Excel Pivot Chart Problems and Formatting -- Fix Excel pivot chart with all columns one color. Change pivot chart to combination column-line chart. Link chart title to worksheet cell. Videos, Excel file

Pivot Table Videos

Here's one of my latest Excel pivot table videos, and almost all of my Excel pivot table tutorial pages include a video too.

You can watch this short video, to see the steps for making a pivot table, and a clustered stacked column pivot chart. There are written steps below the video.

Excel Pivot Tables - Sample Files

Here are the download links for a couple of my latest Excel pivot table sample workbooks, and most of the Excel tutorial pages include a sample file too.

More Workbooks: For even more pivot table sample files, go to the Excel Sample Files page, and scroll down to the Pivot Table section.

Excel Budget Template -- Track and plan your spending in this budget template. Review cash and credit card spending in pivot tables that show monthly totals
Excel File: Budget Template workbook (no macros)