Pivot table with text values

[jgamwell]

I am attempting to create a pivot table in Excel 2007 that will display a text in the value spot and cannot figure out how to achieve this!
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BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>aa</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">good</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>1/31/2009</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>aa</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">bad</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>2/8/2009</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>aa</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">ok</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>2/16/2009</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>aa</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">ok</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>2/24/2009</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>aa</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">good</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>3/4/2009</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>aa</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">good</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>3/12/2009</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; 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BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>bb</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">ok</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>1/23/2009</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>bb</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">bad</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>1/31/2009</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>bb</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">ok</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>2/8/2009</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>bb</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">good</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>2/16/2009</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>bb</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">ok</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>2/24/2009</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>bb</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">good</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>3/4/2009</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>bb</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">good</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>3/12/2009</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>cc</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">bad</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>1/7/2009</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>cc</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">bad</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>1/15/2009</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>cc</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">ok</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>1/23/2009</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>cc</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">good</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>1/31/2009</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>cc</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">bad</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>2/8/2009</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>cc</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">ok</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>2/16/2009</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>cc</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">ok</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>2/24/2009</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>cc</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">good</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>3/4/2009</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 15pt" height=20><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; HEIGHT: 15pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=20>cc</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">good</TD><TD class=xl64 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right>3/12/2009</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[CaterinaAnna]

So I went off to see if I could make what you said work Fazza, thinking if I searched help and played around a bit I'd be able to get it going but I am way too much of a novice after all.

Could someone take me way way back here please!

I can see how to adapt the code, and that I'll need to convert my datasheet to a table for the references to work, but have no idea where to put the code, how to run it or where/when the results will appear - let alone how to control this.

Just so you know how far back we're going, I've done a very little playing with VBA - mostly moving & tweaking recorded macros - but none at all with SQL or queries in Excel (and very very little in Access). Oh, and I'm using 2007.

 

[CaterinaAnna]

personally, i like the idea of using vba to automate the cross-tab approach. Such as using ado.

ps ado =??????

PPS Why did I lose my capitalisation there? I wasn't shouting.

 

[Fazza]

OK. VBA code or ADO are not necessary, they are just other ways.

Simplest approach - no VBA: name the source data table. Such as "MD" short for MyData. So highlight the full source data table and type MD in the name box at top LHS. (Or define the name via CTRL-F3.)

I assume the file has been saved. Then via menu data, import external data, new database query (ALT-D-D-N) choose Excel files as the data source, browse for your file, OK, then see the defined name MD. Select at least one field name. Continue a couple of steps through the wizard and then take the option to edit in MS Query. MS Query will start, hit the 'SQL' button and change the text you see to become

TRANSFORM Max(grade)
SELECT name
FROM MD
GROUP BY name
PIVOT subject

Hit the OK button to enter the text. Acknowledge any message en route to seeing the desired cross tab result. Hit the 'open door' icon and return the results to the Excel worksheet. You now have a query table.

Note, above assumes your field names are exactly grade, name & subject.

OK? Fazza

 

[CaterinaAnna]

That works very nicely, thank you Fazza.

I've had a good play with it in a couple of contexts this morning and, of course, now have more questions for anyone still sticking with this thread. I've put in the background, but highlighted the questions in case you can't work them out from all the verbiage.

• I've saved a couple of queries and have tried to open them to edit them but if I go from explorer they run and if I go through the import menu the wizard takes me back to square one. I know it doesn't take long to type & I could always copy & paste the SQL code but if I ever get onto longer ones it would be useful to know how to open a saved query to edit it.
• One particular set of info I tried to pivot had long text (up to 450 characters) in each cell. It didn't like that, said it was a Memo OLE or hyperlink object (as an aside: how does 2007 store these long strings then?). So I formatted the original table as text and the string-too-long hashes appeared there, but the same error message came up in the query. So I converted it into two 255 character boxes and tried to pivot just the one. 'Record too long' ... What is the maximum record size in this context? Can I alter it?
• And finally I tried pivoting on two things (I could need up to six - say Gd 1, Gd 2, Gd 3 etc for each subject) but couldn't get the code in the right order. Is it possible to do that this way or would that be better with another approach?

Sorry to be the person always after more, but once I start playing with something like this ...

 

[Fazza]

Glad you got it working, CaterinaAnna.

First up, MS Query is not the best way to work with queries in Excel. Some things are good, others are better done other ways. Using VBA provides more options.

Next, I don't use Excel 2007 and it is a little different from previous versions. Then I'm not sure how you've saved the queries: when I use MS Query I simply create a query table and save the workbook.

Cross tab queries in Excel 2003 (and earlier Excel versions) are relatively complex for MS Query. From these versions one might be able to right click from a query and take the edit query option, or get to the editing via the external data toolbar or via the data menu. I don't know about Excel 2007. Then in MS Query, directlyl edit the SQL via the dialog box. Sometimes though it is just easier to do in VBA. There are really only a couple of things to do. Get the connection correct. It is read/write and is just a text string. It only need change if the source file or its path change. And the SQL (aka commandtext), which is also just a string. And then refresh the query.

Again, I can't advise specifically for Excel 2007. So, to address your questions. (1) I don't know. (2) AFAIK 255 characters is the maximum string length for a text field. (3) you can have multiple row fields but only one column field. SQL like below. BTW, the SQL can be more complex with criteria, joining of tables, sub queries, etc. And you can specify the column fields with PIVOT field IN (...)

HTH, Fazza

TRANSFORM function(data field)
SELECT row field/s
FROM sometable
GROUP BY row field/s
PIVOT column field

 

[Fazza]

Some further thoughts.

For multiple row fields, separate each field name with a comma. If the field name includes a space, the header name `must be enclosed like this`

For example, SELECT group, type, `and another one`, `like this`

Though maybe a different approach is best. Such as some VBA to do the work. Cause it seems the above approach doesn't suit the particular circumstances - long field entries.