Tutorial 5

Managing Data with Tables, PivotTables, and PivotCharts

Managing data is the primary reason for using Excel. To manage that data effectively Excel provides the Table, PivotTable & PivotChart tools.

In Excel a collection of similar data can be structured in a range of columns and rows representing fields and records, respectively - this is commonly referred to as a list or Table. Formatting your data as a table in Excel allows you to further manipulate and analyze the data to extract the information you need quickly and easily. When you have large amounts of data it can be difficult to see a clear overview of the information. PivotTables & Charts help you to organize the data into useful section summaries.

By the end of this tutorial you will:

  • Know how to plan, create and edit an Excel table

  • Know how to sort and filter data in an Excel table

  • Know how to create and modify a PivotTable

  • Know how to use a Slicers to filter a PivotTable

  • Know how Create a PivotChart

Resources for Understanding concepts

There are two self-paced courses created by Microsoft that explain the main topics presented by this tutorial. The first is an overview of how to create and format tables. The second shows you how to work with PivotTables & Charts. Slices are a new feature in Excel 2010.

Both include a series of videos, a practice document, quiz and a quick reference guide you can download at the end (or below). You are not required to complete the practice or take the quiz, but the series of videos is the required lecture for this tutorial so you should watch them - it will be to your benefit for understanding the concepts presented by the textbook.

Using Excel Tables to Manage Data: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/overview-RZ102252956.aspx?CTT=1&section=1

Quick Reference Guide: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/quick-reference-card-RZ102252956.aspx?CTT=1&section=9&mode=print

Creating PivotTables: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/video-create-a-pivottable-report-VA101809910.aspx?CTT=1

Quick Start Guide, PivotTable: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/quick-start-create-a-pivottable-report-HA010359471.aspx?CTT=1

How to use Slicers with PivotTables: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/use-slicers-to-filter-pivottable-data-HA010359466.aspx?CTT=1

PivotTable & PivotChart Overview: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/overview-of-pivottable-and-pivotchart-reports-HP010342752.aspx?CTT=1