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How to Format Excel PivotTables for Even Greater Effect

10/11/2020

 
One of the unfortunate misconceptions regarding PivotTables in Excel is that you cannot format them to meet your specific reporting needs. Of course, the reality is that you can apply formats to your PivotTables to, in most cases, meet your exacting specifications. Read on, and in this article, you will learn just how easy it is to format your PivotTables for even greater effect.

Default Formatting in PivotTables

To begin, consider the excerpt of the PivotTable pictured in Figure 1. This raw report, although computationally correct, is difficult to read. For example, the Compact format makes the data in the first column challenging to follow.
Picture
Figure 1 - Excerpt of Unformatted PivotTable
Fortunately, you can change the layout of the report quickly. To do so, click Report Layout from the PivotTable Design tab of the Ribbon. Then choose Show in Tabular Form to change the report’s appearance to that pictured in Figure 2. In this layout, notice that the entries that were “nested” in column A previously now occupy individual columns, so they report appears less cluttered.
Picture
Figure 2 - PivotTable Which Uses The Tabular Layout

If you run Excel 2016 or newer, you can make the Tabular Form your default layout for all future PivotTables you create. To do so, click File, Options, Data, Edit Default Layout, as shown in Figure 3. Additionally, notice that you can make changes to other default settings for your PivotTables in that dialog box.
Picture
Figure 3 - Changing Default Settings For Future PivotTables


Disable Unnecessary Subtotals

In addition to the formatting changes outlined above, you may want to disable unnecessary subtotals in the body of the PivotTable. Often, subtotals contribute to a “cluttered” appearance of the data. To disable Subtotals, click on the PivotTable, and then click Subtotals, Do Not Show Subtotals on the PivotTable Design tab of the Ribbon. Upon doing so, the PivotTable will suppress Subtotals in the body of the report, as shown in Figure 4.
Picture
Figure 4 - PivotTable Without Subtotals


Repeat Item Labels in the PivotTable

In addition to the previous two customizations, consider repeating all the item labels in your PivotTable. This feature is especially helpful if you also choose to “collapse” the PivotTable, as discussed below.

To turn on the Repeat All Item Labels, again return to the PivotTable Design tab of the Ribbon. Then click Report Layout, followed by Repeat All Item Labels. As Figure 5 shows, this action fills the data in the Client, Client Contact, and Client Phone fields of the PivotTable, creating a format that many will find familiar.
Picture
Figure 5 - Repeat Item Labels In A PivotTable


Consider Using the Collapse Field Option

If your PivotTable report is particularly lengthy, you may also want to activate the Collapse Field option. Doing so will present a summarized PivotTable with the capability of drilling-in to the report for more details. In this illustration, let us “collapse” the data in the Client column of the summary. To do so, click anywhere in that column in the PivotTable and then choose Collapse Field from the PivotTable Analyze tab of the Ribbon. After doing so, you will be able to drill in on the report to see details, without being overwhelmed by all the data contained in the summarization.  
Picture
Figure 6 - Using The Collapse Field Option


Summary

No doubt, you can take advantage of other formatting options in PivotTables, including font, font size, colors, and others. However, most users do not struggle with applying those formats. On the other hand, many Excel users labor to control the volume of data presented in their reports. These same users also often face challenges with making the data easier to read. Addressing the four items outlined in this article – 1) establishing default formatting, 2) disabling unnecessary subtotals, 3) repeating item labels, and 4) using the collapse field option – you can quickly and easily format PivotTables for even greater effect.
You can learn more about PivotTables by participating in K2's Excel PivotTables for Accountants.
Also, you can learn more about establishing default settings for your PivotTables by clicking here.

You can see this tip in action by watching the video below.


Tommy Stephens

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    Authors


    Ward Blatch
    Ward provides consulting and training services as the Managing Director of K2E Canada Inc. He joined K2E Canada in 2005 and is responsible for the Canadian operations of this international consulting group, which provides professional development technology education for accountants across Canada and the US. Ward lives in rural Nova Scotia and can be reached at ward@k2e.ca.

    Tommy Stephens
    Tommy is one of the shareholders in K2 Enterprises, affiliating with the Firm in 2003 and joining as a shareholder in 2017. At K2, Tommy focuses on creating and delivering content and is responsible for many of the Firm's management and marketing functions. Tommy resides in the metro Atlanta area. You may reach him at tommy@k2e.com.

    Randy Johnson
    Randy is a nationally recognized educator, consultant, and writer with over 40 years experience in Strategic Technology Planning, Accounting Software Selection, Paperless, Systems and Network Integration, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planning, Business Development and Management, Process Engineering and outsourced managed services. Randy can be reached at randy@k2e.com


    Bernie Smith
    Bernie coaches businesses to develop meaningful KPIs and present their management information in the clearest possible way to support good decision making. As the owner of Made to Measure KPIs, he has worked with major organisations including HSBC, Airbus, UBS, Barclays, Credit Suisse, Lloyds and many more.

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