Being a non-Excel user, I never really understood the value of a Pivot Table. I read on the Web that, despite its simplicity and convenience, only about 60% of Excel users actually utilize the feature on a regular basis. It wasn’t until someone tried explaining it to me that I realized why. They should have given it a better name: like EasyTable or QuickTable… at the very least, it would have given people a reason to try it out!

I went through an online tutorial that explained exactly what you’d have to do if you wanted to accomplish the same results that you get using pivot tables, and was more confused AFTER READING than I was before. So, naturally, I was more than a little concerned that the whole concept of the Pivot Table was way over my head; and that it would be impossible for me to learn how to do, let alone explain to anyone.

Then I asked Kristina from our DECon team for a quick demo, and much to my amazement, creating Pivot Tables is SO much easier than trying your luck at formulas (oh, how I love doing math!), and yet produces exactly the same results!

Before I get started about how to make a Pivot Table, you may want to know why you’d use it. Here are some a few of the most common reasons people use the Pivot Table:

• It’s easier than working with complicated formulas.
• You can turn rows of unreadable data into a chart you can use
• Perfect for tracking product sales by location, customer demographics, etc.
• You can impress your boss, co-workers, or statistically-inclined friends with a informative and efficient reports.

Now, what you’ve been waiting for! Here’s how you make and use Excel’s Pivot Table function. (Click on any of the images to view in detail!)

1. Open your spreadsheet and start by removing any blank rows or columns.
2. Make sure each column has a heading, because they’ll be carried over to the Field List.
3. Make sure your cells are formatted the right way for their data type.
4. Highlight your data range.
5. Click the Insert tab.

Insert the Pivot Table

6. Select the PivotTable button from the Tables group.
7. Select PivotTable from the list.
The Create PivotTable dialog will appear.

Pivot Table Dialog Box

8. Double-check your Table/Range: value.
9. Select the radio button for New Worksheet.
10. Click OK.
A new worksheet opens with a blank pivot table. You’ll see that the fields from our source spreadsheet were carried over to the PivotTable Field List.

11. Drag an item such as PRECINCT from the PivotTable Field List down to the Row Labels quadrant. The left side of your Excel spreadsheet should show a row for each precinct value. You should also see a checkmark appear next to PRECINCT.

12. The next step is to ask what you would like to know about each precinct. I’ll drag the PARTY field from the PivotTable Field List to the Column Labels quadrant. This will provide an additional column for each party. Note that you won’t see any numerical data.

13. To see the count for each party, I need to drag the same field to the Values quadrant. In this case, Excel determines I want a Count of PARTY. I could double-click the entry and choose another Field Setting. Excel has also added Grand Totals.

And there it is folks, your introduction to the Pivot Table. Get practicing, as this may be on our next exam ;)