Business Data Analytics & Advanced Excel · Beginner level

Beginner level · Module 3: Excel Dashboards and Business Reports · Lesson 1 of 3

PivotTables for Reporting

Summarise the cleaned data quickly with PivotTables grouped by month, branch and product.

In this lesson you will

  • Build reporting PivotTables
  • Group dates and show values as percentages

Key concepts

PivotTablegrouping by month% of totalrefresh

The lesson

PivotTables summarise the cleaned table in seconds: sales by branch and month, top products, share of total.

Group dates by month or quarter, and use Show Values As > % of Grand Total for shares.

Base PivotTables on an Excel table and refresh after adding data so reports stay current.

Step by step

  1. Create sales-by-branch-and-month PivotTables.
  2. Group by month.
  3. Show branch shares.
  4. Add data and refresh.

Practice activity

Build the PivotTables for the quarterly dashboard.

Expected result: Correct PivotTables that update on refresh.

Check your understanding

  1. How do you show each branch as a share of total in a PivotTable?

    Show answer

    Show Values As > % of Grand Total.

  2. What must be done after adding data?

    Show answer

    Refresh the PivotTables.

Taught live by an instructor — online or in person. Free course lessons are for self-study and do not lead to a certificate — see registration options.