Calculated Field/Items in Pivot Table | How to become an Expert of MS Excel - Class 6 PDF Download

Introduction

Pivot tables are powerful tools in data analysis, allowing you to summarize and analyze large amounts of data in a compact and meaningful way. One of the key features of pivot tables is the ability to create calculated fields and items, which enable you to perform custom calculations and manipulate data within the table. In this article, we will explore the concept of calculated fields and items, provide simple code examples, and present sample problems with solutions to help you grasp these concepts effectively.

Understanding Calculated Fields

Calculated fields allow you to perform calculations using existing fields within a pivot table. These calculations are not part of the original dataset but are created specifically for the pivot table analysis. Calculated fields can perform basic arithmetic operations, apply functions, or even combine multiple fields to derive new insights.

Creating Calculated Fields

To create a calculated field in Excel, follow these steps:

1. Select any cell within the pivot table.
2. Go to the "PivotTable Tools" tab in the Excel ribbon and click on the "Analyze" or "Options" tab (depending on your Excel version).
3. In the "Calculations" group, click on the "Fields, Items, & Sets" button, and select "Calculated Field" from the drop-down menu.
4. In the "Name" field, provide a name for your calculated field.
5. In the "Formula" field, enter the formula that defines the calculation. You can use operators, functions, and references to existing fields.
6. Click "Add" or "OK" to create the calculated field.

Examples of Calculated Fields

Example 1: Total Sales
Suppose you have a pivot table that displays sales data, and you want to calculate the total sales for each product. You can create a calculated field called "Total Sales" with the formula "=SUM(Sales)".

Example 2: Profit Margin
In this example, you have a pivot table with sales and cost data. To calculate the profit margin, you can create a calculated field called "Profit Margin" with the formula "=SUM(Sales) - SUM(Cost) / SUM(Sales)".

Exploring Calculated Items

Calculated items allow you to create custom groupings or combinations of existing items within a pivot table. This feature is useful when you want to perform calculations on specific subsets of data or group items together for analysis.

Creating Calculated Items

To create a calculated item in Excel, follow these steps:

1. Select any cell within the pivot table.
2. Go to the "PivotTable Tools" tab in the Excel ribbon and click on the "Analyze" or "Options" tab.
3. In the "Calculations" group, click on the "Fields, Items, & Sets" button, and select "Calculated Item" from the drop-down menu.
4. In the "Name" field, provide a name for your calculated item.
5. In the "Formula" field, enter the formula that defines the combination or calculation of existing items.
6. Click "Add" or "OK" to create the calculated item.

Examples of Calculated Items

Example 1: Grouping Cities
Suppose you have a pivot table that shows sales data for various cities. You want to group specific cities together for analysis. You can create a calculated item called "Grouped Cities" and combine the cities you want to group using the formula "=City1 + City2 + City3".

Example 2: Weighted Average
In this example, you have a pivot table with sales data and the number of units sold for each product. You want to calculate the weighted average selling price for each product. You can create a calculated item called "Weighted Average" with the formula "=SUM(Sales) / SUM(Units Sold)".

Sample Problems with Solutions

Problem 1: Calculate the percentage contribution of each product category to the total sales in a pivot table.

Create a calculated field named "Percentage Contribution" with the formula "=SUM(Sales) / GETPIVOTDATA('Total Sales', $A$1)".

Problem 2: Group specific months together in a pivot table to analyze quarterly sales.

Create a calculated item named "Quarterly Months" with the formula "=Jan + Feb + Mar" for the first quarter.

Conclusion

Calculated fields and items are valuable tools in pivot table analysis, allowing you to perform custom calculations and create meaningful groupings within your data. By following the steps outlined in this article and exploring the provided examples, you can confidently leverage these features to gain deeper insights and make data-driven decisions in your analysis.