PivotTables Basics
Summarize hundreds of rows of raw data into a clean, cross-tabulated summary in a few clicks.
Compatibility: All Excel versions
What You'll Learn
- How to build a basic PivotTable from raw data
- How to change a Values field from Sum to Average, Count, or another summary
- Why PivotTables need to be manually refreshed after the source data changes
A PivotTable takes raw, row-by-row data (like a list of sales transactions) and lets you summarize it by dragging fields into four areas: Rows, Columns, Values, and Filters — without writing a single formula.
Building One
Select your raw data (or click any cell inside a Table), then Insert > PivotTable. In the field list, drag a category like "Region" into Rows, and a numeric field like "Sales Amount" into Values — Excel automatically sums it by region.
Changing How Values Are Summarized
By default, Values usually sums numbers, but you can click the field in the Values area and choose Value Field Settings to switch to Average, Count, Max, Min, and more — useful when a sum isn't the right summary for that particular field.
Refreshing a PivotTable
Unlike a regular formula, a PivotTable does not update automatically when your source data changes — right-click anywhere inside it and choose Refresh (or press Alt+F5) after adding or editing rows in the source data.
Common Mistakes
- Forgetting to refresh a PivotTable after updating the source data, and thinking the numbers are wrong
- Dragging a field into the wrong area (e.g. a category into Values instead of Rows)
Practice Exercise
Build a simple transaction list with Region and Sales Amount columns (at least 15 rows across 3 regions). Create a PivotTable summarizing total sales by region, then change it to show average sales instead.
Key Takeaways
- PivotTables summarize data by dragging fields into Rows, Columns, Values, and Filters
- The Values area can summarize by Sum, Average, Count, and more — not just Sum
- PivotTables must be manually refreshed (Alt+F5) after the source data changes