Pivot tables
Purpose
- introduce pivot tables for data analysis
- explore pivot table calculation options
- explore pivot table display options
Why pivot tables?
Excel pivot tables make it easy to create new tables from your dataset without changing the original. They are an excellent way to explore your data and produce descriptive statistics.
Place your cursor in any cell in the table, then select Insert -> Pivot table. Leave the default settings to create a pivot table in a new worksheet.
Each column in your original table is a building block you may use in the new “pivot” table you are creating (they’re listed on the right side of the screen). Drag the column headers into the rows or columns section below to establish the layout for your table.
Pivot table settings
Most pivot table settings can be changed in one of two places:
- In PivotTable Tools -> Analyze -> Options
- In drop-down menus in the pivot table builder interface (see especially the Value field settings)
Slicers are visual filters that make it easier to switch between views of your data. To add a slicer go to PivotTable Tools -> Analyze -> Insert Slicer
By the end of this section…
- a new worksheet with at pivot table analyzing one survey variable
- a pivot table slicer to filter by respondent type (grad/undergrad)