Video:Create Excel Pivot Tables

Transcript:Create Excel Pivot Tables

Hi, I'm Don Schechter for About.com Computing. Today I'll show you how to create a pivot table in Microsoft Excel. Pivot tables are great tools for comparing data, especially when dealing with long lists.

Start a Pivot Table

I'm working on Microsoft Vista, but the process for setting up a pivot table should be the same on Microsoft Windows. First, open Microsoft Excel. I'm going to open a saved document that has a long list of data.

To make a pivot table, go to 'Data' and choose 'Pivot Table' and 'pivot chart report.' I'll choose Microsoft Excel list or database. Pivot table report provides a chart with your data in it but today I'll just choose 'Pivot Table.' Click 'next.'

Select Pivot Table Data Range

Now you'll have to select the range of my chart. I will select the whole chart by clicking and dragging the cursor. Click next. I will choose to open the pivot table in a new worksheet. Click 'finish.'

Analyze Data Columns in Pivot Tables

You can see the pivot table field list with all of your columns in it. I'll drag the 'coast' column up here. Now choose the two columns that you want to compare and drag them to the row and column drop fields. You'll see the results.

I want to see how much I paid each employee, so I'll drag the employees to the column and 'payment' to the drop field. Now if I want to see how much the employees on the east coast made, go up to the coast drop down menu and choose 'east' and click 'ok.'

Adjust Data to Analyze

Now if I want to see how much a certain employee made, I'll change it back to 'all coasts,' then under the employee drop down menu, deselect 'show all' and then select the employee. Click 'ok.' And there is how much they made.

You can also drag up the 'days worked' column to see how much money I paid employees on a certain date. And you can always drag a category back to the field list if you don't want to look at that data.

Pivot tables make it easy to analyze long lists of data without the use of formulas. Thanks for watching. For more information, visit us online at computing.about.com.