| If you are interested in how to quickly analyse | | | | without it having to be a separate exercise. |
| data in excel, then you need to start using pivot | | | | After you have created your first table, excel |
| tables. This powerful tool will convert huge lists of | | | | provides the option to copy your table either as |
| data into tables that can be copied and changed | | | | an exact copy of the original or as a picture |
| with a couple of clicks. Excel pivot tables are a | | | | without the interactivity. This is handy if you don't |
| great data analysis tool. | | | | want people to access the data list behind the |
| You can filter a large database using the page | | | | pivot. To get access to this data, you just |
| field option. A page field displays only the data for | | | | double-click on the pivot table itself. A new |
| the selected page field item. For example, if you | | | | worksheet will be created with the source data |
| had data that covered several years, "years" | | | | included. |
| could be a page field. | | | | The fastest way to learn about pivot tables is to |
| Your data source can be just about anything, but | | | | use a data list. This does not have to be |
| the format must be in list or flat file. In other | | | | thousands of rows. It could be as little as 5. The |
| words, a list of field names at the top, with each | | | | larger your test data list, the more information |
| record of data entered in rows. Field names | | | | you might gain from the analysis. |
| should be based on the type of data that column | | | | If you have spent some time creating your |
| will hold. Spaces can be allowed as you can hide | | | | perfect pivot table, but want to show this |
| blank values or show specific error messages. | | | | graphically, then you have the option in excel to |
| Another useful feature is the option to show row | | | | create a pivot chart. This is a separate worksheet |
| and column totals. You can switch this feature on | | | | of your pivot table in chart format. It can be a bit |
| and off. It is useful if you are tracking year to | | | | cumbersome at first to use them. |
| date figures or running totals throughout the year, | | | | |