Microsoft Excel: Create A Pivot Table With Fewer Clicks

Written by: Mr Excel • Edited by: Tricia Goss
Updated Jul 23, 2008 • Related Guides: Microsoft | Pivot Table | Excel

Problem: Even though pivot tables are the fastest way to summarize data, you are looking for an even faster way to create pivot tables.

Strategy:

This method is only available in Excel 2000 and newer versions.

Follow these steps.

1) Select a single cell in the original data, as shown in Fig. 911.

2) From the menu, select Data – PivotTable. Click Finish, as shown in Fig. 912.

You are given a blank pivot table on a new sheet, as shown in Fig. 913.

3) Drag fields from the field list to the table, as shown in Fig. 914.

Summary:

This visual method for creating a pivot table is faster and more intuitive.

Commands Discussed:

PivotTable

Images