How to Create a Pivot Table in Excel

Follow the below steps on how to build a pivot table in excel:

Step 1: Open Excel Worksheet and Prepare Your Data
Before creating a pivot table, ensure your data is properly formatted:
 Organize in a Tabular Format:
o Place your data in rows and columns, with each column having a header.
 Avoid Blank Rows or Columns:
o Ensure there are no empty rows or columns within your dataset.
 Prepare your Data

Select your Data >>Go to Insert Tab>> Select Pivot Table

Step 2: Select Your Data

1. Click anywhere within your dataset.
2. Alternatively, highlight the specific data range you want to use for the pivot table.
Step 3: Go to Insert Tab > Insert the Pivot Table
Go to the Insert tab on the Excel ribbon and Click PivotTable from the menu. Then
Click OK to create the pivot table layout.
In the Create PivotTable dialog box:
 Confirm the selected data range or adjust it as needed.
 Choose where you want the pivot table to be placed:
o New Worksheet: Creates the pivot table in a new worksheet.
o Existing Worksheet: Lets you place it in a specific location on the current
sheet.
 Select your Range>> Select your Sheet and Press OK
Step 4: Build Your Pivot Table

You’ll see a PivotTable Field List pane on the right side of your screen. This is where you
organize your data:

Build your Pivot Table

Drag and Drop Fields:

Drag column headers from the Field List into one of the four areas:
 Rows: Sets rows for the table.

 Columns: Creates columns for your data.

 Values: Adds numerical data to be calculated (e.g., sum, count).

 Filters: Adds filters to refine your analysis.

 Drag the Fields
Customize Calculations:

Right-click on a value in the Values area and choose Value Field Settings. Then, Select the
desired calculation (e.g., Sum, Average, Count).
Step 5: Format and Customize Your Pivot Table
1. Apply a PivotTable Style:
 Select your pivot table and go to Design > PivotTable Styles to apply a pre-
designed format.
2. Sort and Filter:
 Use the dropdown arrows on row or column headers to sort and filter data.
3. Group Data:
 Right-click on a row or column item and select Group to organize data by
date, number ranges, etc.
4. Add Slicers (Optional):
 Go to Insert > Slicer to create interactive filters for your pivot table.
Step 6: Refresh Your Pivot Table

Exploring Data using PivotTable

You know how to add fields to PivotTable and drag fields across districts. Whether or not you
don't know about the last report that you really want, you can play with the data and pick the
appropriate report.
Expect you really want to have a report showing the going with
  Information for five disciplines - Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Golf, Running,
Soccer, Tennis, and Volleyball.

 Districts that scored in excess of 50 decorations in these 8 disciplines.

 They include decorations in every one of the five disciplines in every one of these
districts.
 Absolute count of decorations for the five disciplines in every one of these districts.
You can perceive how effectively you can make this report in a couple of steps. In particular,
make a PivotTable appearance the remember of beautifications for all of the regions for the
picked five disciplines as follows
 Drag the Sport ID field from the Medals table to the COLUMNS district.
 Drag Sport Name from the table to the ROWS district.
 Channel Discipline to show simply the 8 disciplines for which you really wanted the
report. This ought to be conceivable either in the PivotTable Fields district or from the
Row Labels divert in the PivotTable itself.
 Drag Awards from the Awards table to the VALUES district.

 Drag Medal from the Medals table to the FILTERS district.

You will get the going with PivotTable
As you notice, Count of Medals is displayed for all of the areas and for the five trains that
you picked. Then, at that point, you really want to change this report so only those districts
with hard and fast count of grants more significant than 50 will be shown.
 Click the bolt button to one side of Column Labels.
 Click Value Filters in the drop-down list that shows up.
 Select Greater Than… starting from the drop list that shows up.
Value Filters dialog box appears.

As you notice, Count of Medals and is more noteworthy than are shown in the containers
beneath Show things for which. Type 50 in the case close to the crate containing is more
prominent than and click OK.

Presently, the PivotTable shows just those areas with all out include of awards in the choose
five disciplines more noteworthy than 50.
 Effective use of Dash Boards,Power BI, Tableau
To effectively use dashboards in Power BI and Tableau, consider the following key
aspects:

1. Define the Purpose and Audience:

 Objective: Clearly define what the dashboard aims to achieve. Is it for monitoring
KPIs, analyzing trends, or providing a high-level overview?
 Audience: Understand who will be using the dashboard. Tailor the content, level of
detail, and design to their specific needs and technical understanding.

2. Data Selection and Preparation:

 Relevant Data: Include only the data that is essential to the dashboard's purpose
and the audience's needs. Avoid cluttering with unnecessary information.
 Data Quality: Ensure the data is accurate, clean, and up-to-date. Inaccurate data
leads to misleading insights.
 Data Integration: Power BI and Tableau can connect to various data sources.
Choose the appropriate connection methods and ensure seamless data flow.
 Data Modeling (Power BI): Optimize your data model for performance and
relationships between tables.
 Structuring Data (Tableau): Structure your data appropriately for analysis,
considering relationships, joins, and data blending when necessary.
3. Effective Visualizations:

 Choose the Right Chart Type: Select visualizations that best represent the data
and facilitate understanding (e.g., bar charts for comparisons, line charts for trends,
pie charts for proportions).
 Keep it Simple: Avoid overly complex charts that can confuse users. Focus on
clarity and ease of interpretation.
 Consistent Design: Maintain consistency in colors, fonts, and layouts throughout
the dashboard for a professional and cohesive look.
 Meaningful Use of Color: Use color strategically to highlight important data
points or categories, but avoid excessive or distracting colors.
 Clear Labels and Titles: Ensure all axes, labels, and titles are clear, concise, and
provide sufficient context.
 Tooltips: Utilize tooltips to provide additional details or context when users hover
over data points.

4. Layout and Organization:

 Prioritize Information: Place the most important information in the top-left area,
as this is where users typically look first.
 Logical Flow: Arrange visualizations in a logical order that tells a story or guides
the user through the analysis.
 Whitespace: Use whitespace effectively to create visual separation and improve
readability.
 Single Screen Focus: Ideally, keep all essential information on a single screen to
avoid the need for excessive scrolling. If more detail is required, consider using
interactive elements or linking to detailed reports.

5. Interactivity and Exploration:

 Filters: Include relevant filters to allow users to segment and analyze the data based
on their specific interests.
 Drill-Down Capabilities: Enable users to explore data at a more granular level
when needed.
 Highlighting: Implement highlighting features to draw attention to specific data
points or categories.
 Actions (Tableau): Utilize actions (filter, highlight, URL) to create interactive
experiences and guide analysis.
 Parameters (Tableau): Use parameters to allow users to dynamically change
measures, dimensions, or filters.
6. Performance Optimization:

 Efficient Queries: Ensure the underlying queries are optimized for speed to
provide a responsive dashboard experience.
 Data Extracts (Tableau): Consider using data extracts for large datasets to
improve performance.
 Optimize Visualizations: Avoid using excessive data points or overly complex
calculations that can slow down rendering.

7. Context and Guidance:

 Titles and Descriptions: Provide clear and informative titles and descriptions for
the dashboard and individual visualizations.
 Annotations: Use annotations to highlight key findings or provide explanations.
 Instructions: If necessary, provide brief instructions on how to interact with the
dashboard.

8. Testing and Iteration:

 User Feedback: Gather feedback from the intended users to identify

areas for improvement.
 Iterative Design: Be prepared to revise and refine the dashboard based
on feedback and evolving needs.
 Usability Testing: Conduct usability testing to ensure the dashboard is
intuitive and easy to navigate.

Specific Considerations for Power BI:

 Power BI Service Features: Leverage features like pinning visuals to

dashboards, Q&A for natural language queries, and setting up data alerts.
 Power BI Desktop for Report Building: Understand that dashboards are
created in the Power BI Service, while reports are built in Power BI
Desktop.
 Integration with Microsoft Ecosystem: Utilize Power BI's seamless
integration with other Microsoft products like Excel, Teams, and Power
Platform.

Specific Considerations for Tableau:

 Tableau Desktop for Dashboard Creation: Build dashboards directly

within Tableau Desktop using its drag-and-drop interface.
 Tableau Server/Cloud for Sharing: Publish dashboards to Tableau
Server or Tableau Cloud for collaboration and access.
 Tableau Public for Sharing with a Wider Audience: Use Tableau
Public to share visualizations and dashboards publicly.
 Advanced Calculations and Parameters: Leverage Tableau's robust
calculation language and parameter features for advanced analysis and
interactivity.