How to Verify a PivotTable Range

Using an unverified PivotTable range is like rolling the dice.

If your selected PivotTable does not represent the correct information when you need it, a chunk of wasted effort and file space can result. The range of a PivotTable can change with additions, deletions and new criteria. Therefore you should confirm a PivotTable's range before you analyze the data in it. After that you can manipulate how the PivotTable is displayed with confidence. You will know you are relying on the right set of figures.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Excel 2007 or later

1. Open Excel and then open the workbook that contains the PivotTable of which you would like to verify the range.

2. Click any cell contained within the PivotTable and then click the Options tab located under Pivot Tools.

3. Click Change Data Source from the Data group, verify that the selected data range is correct, and then click "Cancel." Alternately, highlight a new range and then click "OK."

4. Click "Refresh" in the Data group in order to display the new data or update any external links.

5. Click the "Save" icon.

Tips & Warnings

• If you find that you need to redefine a range in the same PivotTable report quite often, create a new report within the same workbook to save time. Your workbook can contain several PivotTable reports, each one referencing the exact data you need to analyze.

References

• Microsoft: About PivotTable and PivotChart Source Data: Changing An Existing Report's Source Data