Pivot Tables

by Nicole Cardillo

What are pivot tables?

Pivot tables are spreadsheets that take large datasets and condense them into smaller tables that summarize key information from the raw data. This makes it easy to identify patterns and trends within data. This is especially great for those who are not experienced with Excel spreadsheets because pivot tables do not require complex formulas.

Examples

The following spreadsheets are examples of pivot tables and why they are important in visualizing large datasets.

Figure 1

This pivot table in Figure 1 from ExcelJet is a prime example of why they can be useful tools. Instead of analyzing a long list of qualitative data like the data displayed in columns B/C, the pivot table shrinks the given information into a small spreadsheet that provides us with quantitative data. This type of data is ideal in creating visualizations like bar graphs or pie charts. For instance, when creating a column graph from this pivot table, we can easily see which color is favored by most, rather than trying to read the information directly from the original table.

Figure 2

Figure 2 also displays an ideal use for pivot tables. This can be especially helpful for large businesses who want to visualize where their products sell best, geographically. Here we see sales from each region for given days. The pivot table neglects the information that is not needed for their analysis, such as the date, instead summing the sales of each region that is organized in a table. Pivot tables have the ability to "handle large quantities of data in a single go. These tables allow you cut through thousands of data points and consolidate the information into straightforward, quantitative results" (Lorman Education). Consolidating a great amount of data into one cohesive table is quintessential in setting a foundation to create visualizations that tell a story and allow viewers to analyze patterns.

Ultimately, pivot tables are a fantastic tool for displaying a summarized version of large datasets. They provide viewers with simple data points to analyze, rather than picking apart raw data to find the key information that they need. 

References

Excel Pivot Tables. Bruns., D. (2023). Exceljet.net. https://exceljet.net/articles/excel-pivot tables

‌The 6 Benefits of Using a Pivot Table in Excel | Lorman Education Services. (2022). 

Lorman.com. https://www.lorman.com/resources/the-6-benefits-of-using-a-pivot-table-in-excel-17423 srsltid=AfmBOoqzdBKmrxCx2megk9IO_pr6PYmqyfpQcmB0LWdUNbceNpbSfgc-

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