Your first pivot table

Turn 200 rows of sales into totals by region, read the answer, and re-ask the question by rep or product.

Confident · 10 min · 12 steps · Free

Free, with no sign-up. Runs in your browser on a laptop or desktop.

Do this lesson on your computer.

It runs beside a practice Google Sheets in your browser, and every step is checked as you go. Free, with no sign-up.

On your computer, go tolearnford.com/go/WE33

Skill
Pivot tables
Stage
Confident
Paths
Google Sheets basics in a weekendGoogle Sheets for small businessPivot tables by Monday

In this lesson

  • Click inside the data, then Insert, then Pivot table.
  • Rows = what you group by. Values = what you add up (Sum by default for numbers).
  • Move fields in and out to ask a new question. The totals recalculate instantly.

The steps

12 steps: 4 explanations, 6 Do this, 2 questions, then Your turn.

Cheat sheet

  • Click inside the data, then Insert, then Pivot table. A new sheet is the safe place for it.
  • Rows = what you group by. Values = what you add up (Sum by default for numbers).
  • Move fields in and out to ask a new question. The totals recalculate instantly.
  • Data changed? Excel needs a refresh: right-click the pivot table, then click Refresh. Google Sheets updates the pivot on its own.
  • Excel: the PivotTable Fields pane, with drag and drop. Google Sheets: the Pivot table editor, with Add buttons. Same ideas, same result.