Field List Options

When we click the button at the top of the “Pivot Table Field List”, a drop-down menu appears with a list of different formats to choose from.

The default format shows the field list at the top while the four areas appear below.

You can change this setting by choosing a different format from the drop-down menu.

The last two options can be useful when all the fields have been added and you only want to shift them.

 

You can move the field list by placing the mouse pointer at the top and then clicking and dragging to the position you want.

If you want the field list back on its original location, click and drag it over the right edge of the “Excel” window. Release the mouse button and the list will jump to its place.

If you want to hide the list, click the X at the top right, or click the “Pivot Table Field List” in the “Options” tab under the “Pivot Table Tools” in the “Ribbon”.

If you want to see this list again later, click on the “Pivot Table Field List” in the “Options” tab.

 

 

 

 

A final option in our field list is at the bottom of the list.

When we check this option, any updates such as adding, deleting or changing fields to our “Pivot Table” will not be done until we click the “Update” button.

 

 

This is useful when dealing with very large and complex “Pivot Tables”, especially with external data sources as such updates can be very time consuming.

 

The “Design” tab

Like in “Excel 2007”, “Excel 2010” also has two tabs that are used only for “Pivot Tables”.

Those are the “Options” tab and the “Design” tab.

 

The “Design” tab is, as the name suggests, used for formatting “Pivot Table”.

The above features speak for themselves, so I will go through this quickly once from left to right.

 

On the far left we find the “Subtotals” button.
When we click on it, it unfolds a menu with three choices:

1. “Do not show subtotals”
2. “Show all subtotals at bottom of group “
3. “Show all subtotals at top of group “

This is clear.

 

We also have the “Grand Totals” button.
When we click on it, a menu unfolds with four choices.

Those are clear as well

 

Next we have the “Report layout” button. When we click on this button, a menu unfolds with three choices:

1. “Show in Compact Form”: This view provides the most compact representation of the “Pivot Table”. This can be useful if you want to print a large “Pivot Table” fitting on a single page.
2. “Show in Outline Form”: This view shows our “Pivot Table” as a summary. Cell borders are not shown.
3. “Show in Tabular Form”: When you use this display, all data is displayed in a table format. So its easy to copy cells to another “Worksheet”.

The next button “Blank rows” has two options. Both are clear to me.

 

The following four check boxes are also obvious.

• “Row headers” and “Column headers”.
• “Banded rows” and “Banded columns” – when you use these options, especially the banded rows, data in the “Pivot Table” appears easier to read.

 

 

Finally, the “Pivot Table” styles.

 

Again we have the Live examples option, something quite useful. But more about “Pivot Table” styles in the next lesson.

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