Excel: PivotTables for Beginners (2024)

26mBeginner2024-01-03

Authors

Dave Ludwig

Content Strategist for Microsoft Excel

Course details

PivotTables don't have to be scary! This powerful Excel feature cuts the time you spend on formulas in half. In this concise course, Excel trainer Dave Ludwig demystifies PivotTables and shows you how to get started using them to analyze your data. Dave begins by explaining two PivotTable basic building blocks: value fields and row fields. Then he shows you how to adjust a PivotTable by adding fields, filters, and formatting. Dave shows you how to use special filter buttons which are known as slicers, and he also demonstrates how to use timelines. Plus, he goes over the basics of refreshing and updating a PivotTable. Finally, he’ll show you how to use AI in Excel to generate PivotTables automatically for you.

Learning objectives
Describe when you would use a PivotTable.
List the things you need to do prior to creating a PivotTable.
Explain the benefits of creating an Excel table before creating a PivotTable.
Describe a conceptual representation of the value field.
Cite the reason you should periodically refresh a PivotTable.
Explain the benefits of using AI to generate a PivotTable for you.

Skills covered

SpreadsheetsMicrosoft ExcelBusiness Software and ToolsMicrosoftDeep Dive (X:Y)

Concepts

Introduction

Excel PivotTables made simple - Analyze data with ease
Using the exercise files and Excel versions

Basic PivotTable Concepts

What is a PivotTable
Prepare your data
A word about fields

Building Your First PivotTable

Start building a PivotTable
Create the value field first
Create row fields
Create column fields
Create filters
Updating a PivotTable
Create a PivotTable with AI

Conclusion

Where to learn more about PivotTables