The Microsoft Excel program is designed to allow users to sort and interpret data using advanced features such as pivot tables, formulas and macros. It may happen that a user wants to modify the input data to carry out evaluations on the results. Changing the origin of a PivotTable may not be an easy task, because the source data is often located on a separate sheet, but it is possible to do so without losing the formatting of your table.
Steps
Step 1. Open Microsoft Excel
You can use the icon on the desktop, search for it in the Programs in the Start menu or the icon in the Quick Launch bar, depending on the configuration of your computer
Step 2. Open the file that contains the pivot table and data
Step 3. Make the necessary changes to the source data
- You may need to insert or delete columns and rows.
- Make sure that all the columns you have entered have a title that describes them.
Step 4. Select the sheet containing the pivot table by clicking on the appropriate tab
Step 5. Click inside the pivot table to open the pivot table tools menu
- On Excel 2007 and 2010, the PivotTable Tools menu will appear, highlighted in red, above the Options and Style tabs in the ribbon.
- In Excel 2003, select "PivotTable and PivotChart Reports" from the Data menu.
Step 6. Edit the source range of your pivot table
- On Excel 2007 and 2010, select "Edit Data Source" from the Data option group.
- On Excel 2003, start the wizard by right clicking inside the pivot table and selecting "Wizard" from the menu that appears. Click the "Next" button to the screen with the data source range.
- In all versions of Excel, after selecting the source data range, click and drag to select the new range for your data.
- You can change the range to include multiple columns and rows.
Step 7. Refresh the pivot table by clicking the "Refresh" button
This button may have a red exclamation point, the green recycle icon, or just the word "Update" depending on the version and configuration of your copy of Excel
Advice
- You cannot change the data by manipulating the pivot table. All changes must be made in the source data and then the table must be updated.
- Make sure you update your PivotTable every time you make changes to the source data. The changes will otherwise not appear in the pivot table.
- To change the source data of a pivot chart, the method to follow is the same. Remember to change the source data and then update the chart.