📥 Master Pivot Tables with Hands-On Practice
Want to get the most out of this guide? Download the free practice workbook 👉 HERE and follow along step by step.
It’s the easiest way to try these tips yourself and see real results.
New to Pivot Tables?
No problem! Check out our Pivot Table Essentials Guide for a beginner-friendly introduction.
Now, let’s dive into the top pro tips and tricks to take your Pivot Table skills to the next level.
1. Use Recommended Pivot Table
Want to create a Pivot Table fast? Here’s a simple way to do it in seconds using Excel’s Recommended Pivot Tables feature.
It’s perfect for beginners and saves tons of time.
Step 1: Go to the Insert Ribbon
Click on the Insert tab at the top of your screen. Look for the “Tables” group, then click Recommended PivotTables.
Step 2: Pick a Suggested Pivot Table
Excel will show a panel on the right side with several Pivot Table options. Each option has a preview, like “Total Sales by Salesperson” or “Daily Sales Summary.”
- Click the one that fits your needs.
- Choose whether to place it on a New Sheet or an Existing Sheet.
That’s it! Your Pivot Table is ready.
Step 3: Customize as Needed
The Pivot Table will come fully formatted, but you can tweak it. Add new fields, change layouts, or apply a different style. It’s super flexible!
2. Adjust Pivot Table Fields and Layout
Do you feel overwhelmed by the Pivot Table Fields panel? Don’t worry—customizing it can make your workflow much smoother.
Here’s how to adjust field settings and layouts step-by-step.
Step 1: Access the Layout Options
Look for the Tools (gear) icon in the upper-right corner of the Pivot Table Fields panel. Click on it to see layout options.
Step 2: Pick Your Preferred Layout
Excel offers four layout options for arranging the field list and drop zones:
- Stacked Layout: Fields and sections are stacked vertically, making it easy to see everything in one column.
- Side-by-Side Layout: Fields appear in one column, and drop zones (Rows, Columns, Values, Filters) are next to it. Great for wide screens.
- Fields Section Only: Only the list of fields is displayed, hiding the drop zones.
- Areas Section Only: Only the drop zones are shown, hiding the list of fields
💡 Tip: If you’re working on a smaller screen, the Stacked Layout can save space. For larger screens, try Side-by-Side Layout for better visibility.
Step 3: Sort the Field List Alphabetically
If your table has many fields, finding specific ones can be challenging. By default, fields are shown in Data Source Order (the order they appear in your original data).
To sort the fields alphabetically:
- Click the dropdown arrow at the top of the field list.
- Select Sort A to Z.
This makes fields easier to find, especially if you’re not familiar with the dataset’s structure.
Featured Course
Excel Essentials for the Real World
3. Add a Timeline Slicer to a Pivot Table
Need an easy way to filter data by dates in your Pivot Table? Timeline Slicers let you visually adjust date ranges to focus on specific time periods.
Here’s how to add and customize a Timeline Slicer.
Step 1: Open the Pivot Table Analyze Tab
Click anywhere inside your Pivot Table. This activates the Pivot Table Analyze tab on the ribbon.
Step 2: Insert a Timeline Slicer
- In the Filter group, click Insert Timeline.
- A pop-up window will display any date-based fields available in your data.
- Select the field you want to use for filtering (e.g., “Order Date”).
- Click OK to insert the Timeline Slicer into your worksheet.
Step 3: Use the Timeline Slicer to Filter Data
The Timeline Slicer appears as a visual control on your worksheet. You can:
- Select a Time Level: Use the dropdown menu on the slicer to choose between Years, Quarters, Months, or Days.
- Adjust the Range: Drag the sliders to set your desired start and end dates.
- Click Specific Intervals: Quickly filter by clicking on specific time periods, like a particular year or quarter.
Step 4: Customize the Timeline Slicer
You can make your Timeline Slicer more user-friendly and visually appealing by customizing it:
- Change the Color: Click the Timeline Slicer, then go to the Timeline Styles group on the ribbon to pick a new style.
- Adjust Display Options: Right-click the slicer to show or hide controls like headers or scroll bars, depending on your needs.
- Resize and Reposition: Drag the edges of the slicer to resize it, or move it to a better location on your worksheet.
4. Use a Hidden Pivot Table for Dynamic Reports
Did you know you can use a Pivot Table behind the scenes to power dynamic reports?
This trick combines Pivot Tables and Slicers to create reports that update automatically when filters change.
Here’s how it works.
Step 1: Create a Pivot Table
Start by building a Pivot Table based on your dataset. For this example:
- Use the Salesperson field as your row label.
- Place the Pivot Table anywhere on your worksheet, even in a hidden section (e.g., another tab)
Step 2: Add a Slicer to Filter the Pivot Table
- Click inside the Pivot Table to activate the Pivot Table Analyze tab on the ribbon.
- In the Filter group, click Insert Slicer.
- Select the field you want to filter, such as Salesperson.
- Click OK, and the Slicer will appear on your worksheet.
Now you can use the Slicer to filter the Pivot Table for a specific salesperson.
Step 3: Display a Single Entry from the Pivot Table
Once you select a salesperson in the Slicer, the Pivot Table will display only one row. For example:
- Assume the salesperson’s name appears in cell G3 of your worksheet.
Step 4: Use the Hidden Pivot Table in a Formula
To make your report dynamic, you can link the pivot table result using an Excel formula.
In our example, we’ll use the XLOOKUP, SUMIFS, and TAKE functions for a dynamic dashboard.
Step 5: Update the Report Dynamically with the Slicer
Once you select a salesperson using the Slicer, the Pivot Table updates automatically. This means any formulas linked to the Pivot Table also update.
For example:
- If you’re using the salesperson’s name in a formula to calculate years with the company, the formula will refresh as soon as you pick a different person in the Slicer.
- Your charts, summaries, or other connected data will update instantly too.
This makes your report dynamic and saves you time by removing the need for manual updates.
Important Notes:
If you select multiple items in the Slicer, only the first entry in the Pivot Table will be used in the calculation. To prevent this, restrict the Slicer to single selections:
- Right-click the Slicer, choose Slicer Settings, and enable Single Selection.
5. Display the Top 10 Items in a Pivot Table (Top N Analysis)
Working with large Pivot Tables can be overwhelming. Especially when you have hundreds or thousands of items like product names or employee names.
If you only want to focus on the top-performing items, you can use Top N Analysis.
Here’s how to display the Top 3 (or any number) items in your Pivot Table.
Step 1: Open the Filter for the Rows Field
- In your Pivot Table, find the Rows area (e.g., Salesperson or Product).
- Click the dropdown arrow next to the field name.
- Select Value Filters from the dropdown menu.
- In the Value Filter menu, click Top 10.
Step 2: Choose the Top N Filter
In the dialog box, adjust these options:
- Top/Bottom: Choose whether to display the top or bottom items.
- Number: Enter the number of items you want to see (e.g., 3 for the Top 3).
- By: Select the field to base the ranking on (e.g., Order Total or Sales Amount).
Click OK to apply the filter. Your Pivot Table will now show only the top N items based on the selected field.
Step 3: Refine the View with Sorting
For a clearer view, sort the Top N results:
- Right-click one of the values in the Order Total column (or the field you used).
- Select Sort > Sort Largest to Smallest.
This ensures the items are ordered by their ranking within the Top N list.
If you’re working with a hierarchy (like Year > Month > Salesperson), each level will display only the top N items based on the chosen field.
6. Pivot Tables Customizing Labels and Headings
Do your Pivot Table labels look messy or unclear?
You can easily customize them to make your report more professional and readable—without altering your original data.
Here’s how to do it.
Step 1: Identify the Labels You Want to Change
Look at your Pivot Table and find any labels that need improvement. For example:
- Labels like “Qtr1, Qtr2, Qtr3…” might look better as “Quarter 1, Quarter 2, Quarter 3.”
Step 2: Edit the Labels Directly in the Pivot Table
To change a label:
- Click the cell in your Pivot Table that contains the label you want to edit.
- Type a new label directly into the cell. For example, replace “Qtr1” with “Quarter 1.”
- Press Enter to save the change.
💡 Tip: This does not affect the source data, so you can make changes without breaking the link between your Pivot Table and the original dataset.
Step 3: Understand What You Can and Can’t Edit
You can customize text-based labels, but calculated values in your Pivot Table cannot be edited.
This ensures your reports remain accurate and no one accidentally changes critical data.
Featured Course
Visually Effective Excel Dashboards
7. Repeat or Center Labels in a Pivot Table
Long Pivot Tables can be hard to read, especially when printed or viewed across multiple pages. It’s easy to lose track of categories or headings.
Luckily, Excel has two great features to make your tables clearer: repeat fields and centering labels. Let’s dive into how to use them.
Step 1: Repeat Labels in a Pivot Table
Repeating labels makes your Pivot Table look more like a traditional table. This helps you stay focused when working with long lists of data.
Here’s how to repeat labels:
- Click anywhere inside your Pivot Table.
- Go to the Design tab on the ribbon.
- In the Layout group, click Report Layout.
- Select Repeat All Item Labels.
If you don’t want all labels repeated, you can adjust individual fields:
- Right-click the heading you don’t want repeated.
- Select Field Settings.
- In the dialog box, go to the Layout & Print tab.
- Check the box labeled Repeat Item Labels, or uncheck it if you don’t need repeats.
Step 2: Center Labels in a Pivot Table
Centering labels makes your table look more organized and professional.
This is especially useful for categories with subcategories, like years with quarters or departments with teams.
Here’s how to center labels:
- Click anywhere inside your Pivot Table.
- Go to the PivotTable Analyze tab on the ribbon.
- In the PivotTable group, click Options.
- In the Layout & Format tab, find the Layout section.
- Check the box labeled Merge and center cells with labels.
Now your headings will be centered across their subcategories!
8. How to Custom Sort a Pivot Table (Drag or Type)
Sorting in Pivot Tables is usually simple—you can sort text alphabetically, numbers numerically, or dates chronologically.
But what if you need a custom order? For example, you might want a specific item to always appear at the top, no matter what.
Excel lets you customize sorting in two easy ways: dragging or typing. Here’s how to do it.
Method 1: Drag to Reorder Items
This method is perfect if you want to manually move an item to a specific spot.
- Click on the item you want to move.
- Hover over the green border around the selected cell.
- Click and hold the green border, then drag the item up or down.
- A thick green bar will appear to show where the item will be placed. Release the mouse to drop it in the new position.
💡 Pro Tip: When you move an item to a new position, it will stay in that position across all groupings. For example, if you move “Lily Code” to the top of the “January” group, it will also appear at the top of every monthly group.
Method 2: Type to Reposition Items
If you’re working with a long list and already know where an item should go, typing can be faster:
- Click the cell where you want the item to appear.
- Type the text of the entry you’re moving.
- Press Enter.
This immediately repositions the item to the desired location.
9. Calculate Percentage Difference in Pivot Tables
Want to track changes in your data over time?
With Pivot Tables, you can easily calculate percentage differences, like month-over-month or year-over-year changes.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to do it.
Step 1: Add the Base Value Field Twice
Start by duplicating the field you want to analyze. For example, if you’re looking at sales:
- Drag the Sales field into the Values area twice.
- You’ll now see two identical columns for sales in your Pivot Table.
Step 2: Open the Value Settings for the New Field
- Right-click on one of the duplicated sales columns in your Pivot Table.
- Select Show Values As from the menu.
- Click % Difference From in the dropdown.
Step 3: Choose the Base Field and Item
In the dialog box that appears:
- Base Field: Select the field to compare values against. For month-over-month analysis, choose Months.
- Base Item: Select Previous to calculate the difference from the previous month.
Click OK, and your Pivot Table will now show the percentage change for each month compared to the one before it.
Step 4: Calculate Year-over-Year Change (Optional)
If you want to calculate year-over-year changes instead:
- Repeat Steps 1 and 2.
- In the Base Field dropdown, select Years.
- Again, choose Previous as the Base Item.
This will compare each month’s sales to the same month in the previous year.
Important Note
In this context, the word Previous doesn’t inherently mean time-based unless your data is structured that way. For example:
- If your data is grouped by product or salesperson, the calculation will compare to the previous item in that group.
- For accurate time-based analysis, ensure your data is sorted chronologically in the Pivot Table.
10. Disable the Drill-Down Feature in Pivot Tables
Drill-down is a handy Pivot Table feature that lets you double-click a calculated value to see the rows behind it. Excel creates a new table showing only the data that contributes to the clicked value.
But what if you want to keep your data private or prevent viewers from accessing the underlying details? You can easily disable this feature.
Step 1: Open the Pivot Table Options
- Click anywhere inside your Pivot Table.
- Go to the PivotTable Analyze tab on the ribbon.
- In the PivotTable group, click Options.
Step 2: Disable the Drill-Down Feature
- In the PivotTable Options window, go to the Data tab.
- Uncheck the box labeled Enable show details.
- Click OK to save your changes.
What Happens Now?
With this setting disabled, anyone who double-clicks a value in your Pivot Table will see a message instead of accessing the underlying data.
This ensures your report stays secure and focused.
Bonus Tip: Images in Pivot Tables
Want to make your Pivot Tables more engaging? Excel has introduced a game-changing feature: you can now include images directly in your Pivot Tables!
See It in Action!
Want to see how it works? Watch this quick video demonstration.
Availability
This feature is available for Microsoft 365 Insiders, and it’s perfect for creating reports with greater visual impact.
Get Your Free Pivot Table Tips Cheat Sheet!
Want to save time and master Pivot Tables faster? Download our free Cheat Sheet that summarizes all the tips in this guide. It’s a quick and easy reference for:
- Creating and customizing Pivot Tables.
- Using advanced features like Slicers and Top N Analysis.
- Formatting and protecting your reports.
Download the handy Cheat Sheet summarizing all the tips 👉 Here.
Download Your Free Practice File
Want to master Pivot Tables faster? This workbook is packed with hands-on tasks to help you:
- Build and format Pivot Tables like a pro.
- Add features like Timeline Slicers and Top N filters.
- Create dynamic reports and track trends easily.
📥 Download Now to boost your Excel skills today!
Featured Bundle
Black Belt Excel Bundle
Leila Gharani
I’ve spent over 20 years helping businesses use data to improve their results. I've worked as an economist and a consultant. I spent 12 years in corporate roles across finance, operations, and IT—managing SAP and Oracle projects.
As a 7-time Microsoft MVP, I have deep knowledge of tools like Excel and Power BI.
I love making complex tech topics easy to understand. There’s nothing better than helping someone realize they can do it themselves. I’m always learning new things too and finding better ways to help others succeed.
