How to change pivot table design in excel

Answer

Changing the design of a Pivot Table in Excel allows you to make your data more readable, visually appealing, and suitable for reporting. Excel provides several tools to customize the layout, style, and format of Pivot Tables.

Steps to Change Pivot Table Design

1. Select the Pivot Table
   Click anywhere inside your Pivot Table to activate the Pivot Table Tools on the Ribbon. Two tabs appear: Analyze (or PivotTable Analyze in newer versions) and Design.

2. Apply a Pivot Table Style

   1. Go to the Design tab.

   2. In the PivotTable Styles group, select a style from the gallery.

   3. Hover over each style to preview it. Click on a style to apply it.

   • Customization options include light, medium, or dark styles.

3. Change Report Layout

   1. On the Design tab, click Report Layout in the Layout group.

   2. Choose from:

      • Show in Compact Form: Combines row fields in one column.

      • Show in Outline Form: Displays each field in its own column.

      • Show in Tabular Form: Displays data in a simple table layout, which is ideal for exporting or further analysis.

4. Toggle Subtotals

   1. On the Design tab, click Subtotals.

   2. Choose Do Not Show Subtotals or Show All Subtotals at Bottom of Group depending on your report style.

5. Toggle Grand Totals

   1. Click Grand Totals in the Design tab.

   2. Options include On for Rows and Columns, On for Rows Only, On for Columns Only, or Off for Rows and Columns.

6. Enable or Disable Banded Rows/Columns

   • Check Banded Rows to shade every other row for easier reading.

   • Check Banded Columns to shade alternating columns.

7. Adjust Field Headers

   • The Design tab allows you to Turn Off/On Field Headers to make the table cleaner or retain labels for clarity.

Notes on Windows vs. Mac

• The Design tab is identical on both platforms, but on Mac, the PivotTable Analyze tab may be named simply Analyze.

• All layout and style options are the same across platforms.

Example Scenario

Suppose you have sales data for multiple regions and want a clean, readable Pivot Table for management:

1. Select your Pivot Table.

2. Apply a medium blue style.

3. Change the layout to Tabular Form.

4. Show subtotals at the bottom of each group.

5. Enable banded rows to distinguish rows easily.

6. Turn on grand totals only for columns.

The result is a visually clear, professional Pivot Table that is easier to analyze and present.

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