Lesson 2.9 – Pivot Table Field Settings in Excel
Lesson Overview
Pivot Table Field Settings allow you to control how data is summarized, displayed, and calculated in a Pivot Table. Proper management of fields ensures accurate and meaningful reports.
1. Adding or Removing Fields
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Adding Fields: Drag a field from the PivotTable Fields pane to Rows, Columns, Values, or Filters.
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Removing Fields: Drag the field out of the pane or uncheck it.
Tip: Use Filters to quickly focus on specific data without removing fields from Rows or Columns.
2. Rearranging Fields
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Drag fields between Rows, Columns, Values, Filters to change the table layout.
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Allows you to view data from multiple perspectives.
Example:
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Rows = Product, Columns = Region → Total Sales
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Swap Columns = Region becomes Rows → see products grouped by region
3. Value Field Settings
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Control how numeric data is summarized.
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Steps:
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Click the drop-down on the value field → Value Field Settings
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Choose Summarize Values By: Sum, Count, Average, Max, Min, Product, StdDev, etc.
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Click OK
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Example: Count the number of orders instead of summing sales.
4. Show Values As
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Provides alternative ways to display data without changing source values.
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Options include:
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% of Grand Total
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% of Column Total
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% of Row Total
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Difference From (compare with previous value)
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Example: Show each product’s sales as % of total sales.
5. Sorting & Filtering Fields
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Sort Fields: Right-click on a Row/Column → Sort → Ascending/Descending
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Filter Fields: Use filter dropdowns to display specific data
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Top 10 Filter: Show top/bottom N items based on value
6. Grouping in Pivot Table
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Group numeric fields: Right-click → Group → define ranges
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Group dates: Right-click → Group → Months, Quarters, Years
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Group text items: Select items → Right-click → Group
Tip: Grouping makes large datasets more organized and readable.
7. Real-Life Examples
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HR dataset: Count of employees by department and % of total workforce
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Sales dataset: Total sales grouped by month and quarter
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Inventory: Quantity grouped by price ranges for stock analysis
Practice Questions
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How do you add or remove fields in a Pivot Table?
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What is the difference between Rows and Columns in Pivot Table layout?
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How can you display values as a percentage of total?
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Explain how grouping numeric or date fields works.
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How do you rearrange fields to analyze data differently?
