Pivot Table with merged cells
EE Professionals,
I have a simple pivot table that I have attached where I have a set of merged cells in the columns and then two variables under each merged cell. I'm trying to use a pivot table to begin to do some analysis and have found that I may not be able to use merged cells in a pivot table.
I'd appreciate it if someone would take a look at this sample and give me some ideas on how to attack the problem of using a pivot table for this type of simple analysis.
Thank you in advance.
B.
I have a simple pivot table that I have attached where I have a set of merged cells in the columns and then two variables under each merged cell. I'm trying to use a pivot table to begin to do some analysis and have found that I may not be able to use merged cells in a pivot table.
I'd appreciate it if someone would take a look at this sample and give me some ideas on how to attack the problem of using a pivot table for this type of simple analysis.
Thank you in advance.
B.
Yes, I believe you would have to rearrange your data table, suggest as such:
Name Area1Current Area1Future Area2Current Area2Future
etc.
Then you should be able to create a pivot table.
Name Area1Current Area1Future Area2Current Area2Future
etc.
Then you should be able to create a pivot table.
Hello Bright,
You're right, you cannot use merged cells in the column headers for a pivot table. The column headers must be in one row only and each column must be a distinct name.
In fact, using merged cells leads to all kinds of problems and should be avoided. Use "Center across selection" in the Alignment tab of the formatting dialog instead if you want to center text across several cells.
Looking at your table, this looks like a typical RESULT for a pivot table, with a data source of just 4 columns. See attached
cheers, teylyn
Pivot-Table-Analysis-v1.xlsm
You're right, you cannot use merged cells in the column headers for a pivot table. The column headers must be in one row only and each column must be a distinct name.
In fact, using merged cells leads to all kinds of problems and should be avoided. Use "Center across selection" in the Alignment tab of the formatting dialog instead if you want to center text across several cells.
Looking at your table, this looks like a typical RESULT for a pivot table, with a data source of just 4 columns. See attached
cheers, teylyn
Pivot-Table-Analysis-v1.xlsm
ASKER
Teylyn,
Woah... I didn't know...this is way beyond Graphics. How do you get from a Pivot Table to the A,B,C,D output you have in your example? I really like what you have done with the merged cells..... I can aggrigate the merged cells so to see the totals. How did you get the output to show up based on the Pivot table?
I need some explanation.
Much thanks,
B.
Woah... I didn't know...this is way beyond Graphics. How do you get from a Pivot Table to the A,B,C,D output you have in your example? I really like what you have done with the merged cells..... I can aggrigate the merged cells so to see the totals. How did you get the output to show up based on the Pivot table?
I need some explanation.
Much thanks,
B.
Hi, it's the other way round. Normally one starts off with a flat data table like the one in columns A to D, then you build the pivot table from that data.
But if you have a table laid out like the pivot table, there are ways to create a flat data table from that. I did it manually for the data sample, but for bigger datasets, I'd use a different process.
Is that what you need to do? I'm not sure what exactly you are after, you know, the three old questions: What/where is the data input? What is the desired output? What are the processing rules?
cheers, teylyn
But if you have a table laid out like the pivot table, there are ways to create a flat data table from that. I did it manually for the data sample, but for bigger datasets, I'd use a different process.
Is that what you need to do? I'm not sure what exactly you are after, you know, the three old questions: What/where is the data input? What is the desired output? What are the processing rules?
cheers, teylyn
ASKER
Fair enough.
1.) I have data input from 177 sources that are providing "partially" inputted data to 12 categories. This includes 67 participants who are inputting partial data (i.e. the 177 sources since multiple participants are inputting to multiple categories but no one is inputting to all categories). From this data, I'm going to "gleem" insights...thus the pivot table request.
2.) The input will be a table with both actual and null values since many of the participants will provide only partial data. What I have learned so far is that Pivot Tables won't act on merged cells.
3.) The desired output will be averages of the data that is provided. Thus the use for the pivot table.
4.) The process rules are take the data from the categories which are represented by the columns and be able to aggrigate the data and do some analysis that includes summary by category, averages by category based on values/input and other elements that I can gleem from a pivot table analysis.
Sorry to give you all that..... It's way more then expected. I don't expect you to advise on all those elements but thought I'd give you the big picture. Any insight would be appreciated as I structure the datafile and use Excel's Pivot Table capability.
This type of question for EE I try to break down to small compoents and work from there. The first part was what I sent initially which was a very small sample table.
I hope this helps. Please advise.
B.
1.) I have data input from 177 sources that are providing "partially" inputted data to 12 categories. This includes 67 participants who are inputting partial data (i.e. the 177 sources since multiple participants are inputting to multiple categories but no one is inputting to all categories). From this data, I'm going to "gleem" insights...thus the pivot table request.
2.) The input will be a table with both actual and null values since many of the participants will provide only partial data. What I have learned so far is that Pivot Tables won't act on merged cells.
3.) The desired output will be averages of the data that is provided. Thus the use for the pivot table.
4.) The process rules are take the data from the categories which are represented by the columns and be able to aggrigate the data and do some analysis that includes summary by category, averages by category based on values/input and other elements that I can gleem from a pivot table analysis.
Sorry to give you all that..... It's way more then expected. I don't expect you to advise on all those elements but thought I'd give you the big picture. Any insight would be appreciated as I structure the datafile and use Excel's Pivot Table capability.
This type of question for EE I try to break down to small compoents and work from there. The first part was what I sent initially which was a very small sample table.
I hope this helps. Please advise.
B.
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ASKER
Very good commentary and clear directions. I've gotten the table flattened and am now playing with different input/analysis.
Appreciate the effort and the education!
B.
Appreciate the effort and the education!
B.
ASKER
Pivot-Table-Analysis-v1.xlsm