Excel Pivot Tables: How To Create Better Reports
PCWorld|February 2018

Generating reports for single tables takes a few clicks. 

JD Sartain
Excel Pivot Tables: How To Create Better Reports

Excel created pivot tables to improve upon its convoluted, weak reporting features (which are still available). The pivot table is actually a collection of tools that Excel uses to help you create better reports from complex, multi-file spreadsheet data. You filter, sort, reorganize, calculate, and summarize your spreadsheet databases, then extract specific information into a report.

For example, your spreadsheet may contain 25 field columns, but you only need four of these fields for your report. The Pivot Table tools allow you to sift that data in, literally, seconds—a huge improvement over Excel’s previous reporting capabilities.

To make it easier for you to practice the tasks we’re about to describe, go to (go. pcworld.com/crtx) and follow the instructions to create a sample relational database.

SINGLE “FLAT-FILE” PIVOT TABLE REPORTS

Pivot Tables are the “defined as tables” spreadsheets that the Pivot Table tools use to create custom reports for both flat-file and multi-file (relational) databases. This powerful function, which includes some very user-friendly filtering features, is a vast topic that cannot be covered adequately in a single article. Therefore, this article addresses the single “flat file” Pivot Table reports. We’ll follow up with coverage of the multi-file “relational” Pivot Table reports.

1. Open the database file, then click the VIOLATIONS tab. Place your cursor on column C - Violation Fee. Click the down arrow (right side), choose Sort Smallest to Largest, and click OK.

2. Click the arrow again, select Number Filters > Greater Than.

This story is from the February 2018 edition of PCWorld.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the February 2018 edition of PCWorld.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM PCWORLDView All
5 Compelling Reasons to Buy a Windows Laptop Instead of a MacBook
PCWorld

5 Compelling Reasons to Buy a Windows Laptop Instead of a MacBook

MacBooks are powerful and chic. That's also true of many Window Notebooks - And they have other advantages that MacBook can't counter.

time-read
6 mins  |
September 2023
5 tips to make Gmail more secure
PCWorld

5 tips to make Gmail more secure

Bank statements, contracts, tickets, love letters…most things in this world can be sent via email, and protecting your email is extremely important.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2023
TunnelBear VPN: It's just right for beginners
PCWorld

TunnelBear VPN: It's just right for beginners

Come for the bear puns, stay for the security.

time-read
6 mins  |
September 2023
Contour SliderMouse Pro: This mouse saves your hands
PCWorld

Contour SliderMouse Pro: This mouse saves your hands

Unusual ergonomic mouse is here to save your hands

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2023
Woohoo! You can get a Raspberry Pi again
PCWorld

Woohoo! You can get a Raspberry Pi again

Availability hasn't completely recovered, but it's looking much better already.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2023
Microsoft begins pulling the plug on Cortana
PCWorld

Microsoft begins pulling the plug on Cortana

Cortana probably won't live for much longer.

time-read
1 min  |
September 2023
Norton's free Al-powered Genie tool helps you spot online scams
PCWorld

Norton's free Al-powered Genie tool helps you spot online scams

Not sure if the message, email, link or social media post you've received is a scam? The Al-powered Norton Genie is designed to help.

time-read
1 min  |
September 2023
Google now alerts you if your contact info appears online
PCWorld

Google now alerts you if your contact info appears online

Better decades late than never.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2023
Microsoft 365 makeover: Office docs are getting new default look
PCWorld

Microsoft 365 makeover: Office docs are getting new default look

Significant changes are coming to your Office documents with Microsoft 365's new default theme.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2023
Smart Answers: GenAl tool makes it easier to find the info you need on PCWorld
PCWorld

Smart Answers: GenAl tool makes it easier to find the info you need on PCWorld

Smart Answers puts you in the driving seat for content discovery.

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2023