N00b Pivot Table Question

[Reshaw]

Hi there
I am reasonably familiar with Excel but never had to use pivot tables before, so I am asking 2 questions: Is a pivot table the best way to do what I need and if so how to do the summing thing described in a mo
Firstly the Data

I have a flat file with Container number, Product code, description, case qty and location (among other unimportant details)
For each container there could be 30-50 rows representing an individual pallet and varying product codes. (typically there would be between 4 and 12 different products on each container, and then there is the case quantity.

My ultimate goal is to sum all the cases of like products for a given container - I used the wizard thing for pivot tables and it gives me the results something like the following:

Container_1
Product_1
24
12
18
Product_2
10
6
14
Container_2
Product_1
36
48
12
Product_3
2
4

etc...

What I really need to do is add up all the indivdual case quantities instead of listing them as it does above.
So:
Container_1
Product_1
54
Product_2
20

etc.

So....
Question 1 - Is this the best way of going about it?
Question 2 - How can I make a pivot table add up instead of listing the values?


Many thanks in advance
Rob

 

[Andrew Poulsom]

Apologies for my inexperience but I am not sure whaere the Data field is/are

It's Values at bottom right.

 

[Reshaw]

I centre the columns to make it easier to read when keying all this dat in, but I did the Format Cells changed to number - no decimal places, will that force excel to see numbers instead of text?

 

[Reshaw]

Ahh right got it finally, you drag the little boxes accross, I then changed the value field settings to Sum and its working perfectly, Thanks ever so much for all your inputs, I guess I'll have a play with it now and see what else I can get it to do.

Thanks again
Rob

 

[Reshaw]

One quick question

I could do with having the description appear at the end of each line, so I added the description tile to the values box but it only lets me count sum average etc. is there a way to just show the value?

Thanks

 

[Andrew Poulsom]

Can't you add DESCRIPTION to the Row Labels?

 

[BGY23]

If the field contains text the only thing a pivot table will do is count the number of records. Put them in the row headings beside the part number.

You should however be aware that if your Description for each part number is not unique, ie exactly the same description per part number you will get multiple records per part number.

 

[Reshaw]

Desription and product code are essentially the same thing but there exists a possibility that the descriptions might not be absolutley unique in all cases hence why there is a product number which definatly is unique within this system. in another part of the sheet I use vlookup on a product number and import the description fomr another sheet which works well.

Can I use vlookup on the column immediatly ot the right of the pivot table report perhaps?

To answer your question re putting the description in the row fields part I can but because it is essentially the same key as the product code I jsut get two rows with the same information in..

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 403pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=537><COLGROUP><COL style="WIDTH: 247pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 12032" width=329><COL style="WIDTH: 85pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 4132" width=113><COL style="WIDTH: 71pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 3474" width=95><TBODY><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; WIDTH: 247pt; HEIGHT: 15pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0" height=20 width=329></TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; WIDTH: 85pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0" class=xl66 width=113></TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; WIDTH: 71pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0" class=xl66 width=95></TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; BACKGROUND: #dbe5f1; HEIGHT: 15pt; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; mso-pattern: #DBE5F1 none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" height=20></TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; BACKGROUND: #dbe5f1; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; mso-pattern: #DBE5F1 none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl66>Values</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; BACKGROUND: #dbe5f1; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; mso-pattern: #DBE5F1 none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl66></TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #95b3d7 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; BACKGROUND: #dbe5f1; HEIGHT: 15pt; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; mso-pattern: #DBE5F1 none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" height=20>Row Labels</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #95b3d7 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; BACKGROUND: #dbe5f1; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; mso-pattern: #DBE5F1 none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl66>Sum of CASE QTY</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #95b3d7 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; BACKGROUND: #dbe5f1; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; mso-pattern: #DBE5F1 none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none">Count of PLT #</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #95b3d7 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; HEIGHT: 15pt; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl67 height=20>TTNU9418047</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #95b3d7 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl66>599</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #95b3d7 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl66>33</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; HEIGHT: 15pt; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl68 height=20>27847695</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl66>12</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl66>1</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 15pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0" class=xl69 height=20>PP 14.4V CORDLESS DRILL DRIVER</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0" class=xl66>12</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0" class=xl66>1</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; HEIGHT: 15pt; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl68 height=20>27847701</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl66>11</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl66>1</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 15pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0" class=xl69 height=20>PP 260W DETAIL SANDER</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0" class=xl66>11</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0" class=xl66>1</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; HEIGHT: 15pt; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl68 height=20>27847718</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl66>112</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl66>5</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 15pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0" class=xl69 height=20>PP 14.4V CORDLESS HAMMER DRILL</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0" class=xl66>112</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0" class=xl66>5</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; HEIGHT: 15pt; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl68 height=20>27847732</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl66>36</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl66>3</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 15pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0" class=xl69 height=20>PP CORDLESS HAMMER DRILL 24V</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0" class=xl66>36</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0" class=xl66>3</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; HEIGHT: 15pt; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl68 height=20>27847787</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl66>22</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl66>2</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 15pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0" class=xl69 height=20>PP 400W RANDOM ORBITAL SANDER</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0" class=xl66>22</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0" class=xl66>2</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; HEIGHT: 15pt; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl68 height=20>27847800</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl66>96</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; FONT-WEIGHT: 700; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline-style: none; text-line-through: none" class=xl66>4</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; HEIGHT: 15pt; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0" class=xl69 height=20>PP 1020W ROUTER</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0" class=xl66>96</TD><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #f0f0f0; BORDER-LEFT: #f0f0f0; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-TOP: #f0f0f0; BORDER-RIGHT: #f0f0f0" class=xl66>4</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Reshaw]

Just a thought is it possible to have the product code in the values bit as well and then nest a vlookup function on it's own value to get the description?

 

[Andrew Poulsom]

You can change the layout from compact form to tabular form:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/e....aspx#BMchange_the_pivottable_report_form:_co