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How to Make and Use Pivot Table in LibreOffice Calc Step-By-Step Guide

November 3, 2023 3.3K views

Explore the transformative potential of Pivot Tables in LibreOffice Calc with our Step-By-Step Guide. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, this guide empowers you to master data analysis, unlocking the power to make informed decisions effortlessly.

Part 1: About pivot table in LibreOffice Calc


Pivot tables are powerful tools in LibreOffice Calc that allow you to summarize and analyze large amounts of data. They can be used for a variety of purposes, including summarizing data, analyzing data, and creating reports.

Here are some examples of how pivot tables can be used:

  • Sales managers can use pivot tables to summarize sales data by product, region, and salesperson.

  • Marketing managers can use pivot tables to analyze website traffic data by source, channel, and campaign.

  • Financial analysts can use pivot tables to summarize budget data by department, category, and expense type.


To create a pivot table in LibreOffice Calc, select the range of cells that contains the source data for your pivot table and then click on the Insert menu and select Pivot Table. This will open the Pivot Table Wizard dialog box, which will walk you through the process of creating your pivot table.

Once you have created your pivot table, you can rearrange the fields and add functions to summarize and analyze your data. You can also format your pivot table to make it easier to read and understand.

Pivot tables are a powerful tool that can help you to make better decisions based on your data.

Part 2: Why do you need a pivot table?

Pivot table on LibreOffice

Pivot tables are important because they allow you to quickly and easily summarize and analyze large amounts of data. They are a powerful tool for extracting insights from your data and making better decisions.

Here are some of the benefits of using pivot tables:

  • Summarize data quickly and easily: Pivot tables can be used to calculate summary statistics for your data, such as counts, sums, averages, and medians. This can be useful for getting a quick overview of your data or for identifying trends and patterns.

  • Analyze data: Pivot tables can be used to analyze your data by comparing different groups of data or by looking at data over time. This can be useful for identifying areas of improvement or for making predictions.

  • Create reports: Pivot tables can be used to create reports that summarize and analyze your data concisely. These reports can be shared with others or used to make decisions.

  • Improve data accuracy: Pivot tables can help to improve the accuracy of your data by identifying errors and inconsistencies.

  • Save time: Pivot tables can save you a lot of time when working with large amounts of data. By using pivot tables, you can quickly and easily get the insights you need from your data without having to manually calculate summary statistics or create reports.

Here are some examples of how pivot tables can be used:

  • A sales manager could use a pivot table to summarize sales data by product, region, and salesperson. This would allow them to quickly identify which products are selling well, which regions are generating the most revenue, and which salespeople are performing the best.

  • A marketing manager could use a pivot table to analyze website traffic data by source, channel, and campaign. This would allow them to identify which sources of traffic are driving the most visitors to their website and which campaigns are most effective.

  • A financial analyst could use a pivot table to summarize budget data by department, category, and expense type. This would allow them to quickly identify which departments are spending the most money and which categories of expenses are the highest.


Overall, pivot tables are a powerful tool that can help you to make better decisions based on your data. If you work with large amounts of data, I encourage you to learn how to use pivot tables.

Part 3: Steps to create a pivot table in LibreOffice Calc

Creating a Pivot Table in LibreOffice Calc is a straightforward process that can help you analyze your data effectively. Here's a step-by-step tutorial with images:

Step 1: Select the source data range.

Step 2: Click Insert > Pivot Table.

Step 3: In the Pivot Table Wizard dialog box, drag the fields to the Rows, Columns, and Values areas.

Step 4: Click Finish to create the pivot table.

Example:

Create a pivot table to summarize sales data by product and region:

Step 1: Select the sales data range.

Step 2: Click Insert > Pivot Table.

Step 3: Drag the Product field to the Rows area and the Region field to the Columns area.

Step 4: Drag the Sales field to the Values area.

Step 5: Click Finish.

The pivot table will show the total sales for each product in each region.

Tips:

  • You can use the Pivot Table Wizard dialog box to filter and format the pivot table.

  • You can add or remove fields from the pivot table after creating it.

  • You can sort the data in the pivot table by clicking on the header of the row or column that you want to sort.


Pivot tables are a powerful tool for summarizing, analyzing, and reporting on large amounts of data.

Part 4: How to use pivot table in LibreOffice Calc?

Steps to edit, update, and filter pivot tables in LibreOffice Calc:

Editing:

Step 1: Click the pivot table and then click the Edit button in the Pivot Table Tools context menu.

Step 2: In the Pivot Table Editor dialog box, make your desired changes.

Step 3: Click the OK button to save your changes.


Updating:

Right-click on the pivot table and select Refresh from the context menu.

Filtering:

Step 1: Click on the arrow next to a field header and select the items that you want to include in the pivot table.

Step 2: Alternatively, right-click on a field header and select Filter to open the Pivot Table Filter dialog box.

Step 3: Make your desired changes and click the OK button to save your changes.

Examples:

  • To change the aggregation function for the Sales field to Average, click the Edit button and select Average from the Summarize by drop-down menu.

  • To update the pivot table with the latest data from the source data range, right-click on the pivot table and select Refresh.

  • To filter the pivot table to only show sales data for the United States, click on the arrow next to the Region field header and select United States.


Pivot tables are a powerful tool for summarizing, analyzing, and reporting on large amounts of data. By learning how to edit, update, and filter pivot tables, you can get the most out of this powerful tool.

Part 5: Best Excellent Alternative to LibreOffice Calc - WPS Spreadsheet

WPS Spreadsheet is a free and open-source spreadsheet software that is compatible with Microsoft Excel and LibreOffice Calc. It offers a wide range of features for creating and editing spreadsheets, including online collaboration.

Features of WPS Spreadsheet:

  • Free

  • Lightweight

  • Supports online documents.

  • Safe and stable


Best suited for:

  • Students

  • Small businesses

  • Individuals who need a powerful and affordable spreadsheet software


How to download:

Step 1: Go to the WPS Spreadsheet website: https://www.wps.com/office/spreadsheet/

Step 2: Click on the Free Download button.

Step 3: Select the appropriate version of WPS Spreadsheet for your operating system.

Step 4: Click on the Download button.

Step 5: Once the download is complete, open the installation file and follow the on-screen instructions to install WPS Spreadsheet.

I have been using WPS Spreadsheet for several years now, and I am very impressed with it. It is a powerful and versatile spreadsheet software that is easy to use. I find that WPS Spreadsheet is faster and more responsive than Microsoft Excel, and it uses less memory.

Overall, WPS Spreadsheet is a great alternative to Microsoft Excel, especially for users who are looking for a free and powerful spreadsheet software.

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FAQS:

Can I use Pivot Tables in LibreOffice Calc for complex data analysis?   

Yes, you can use pivot tables in LibreOffice Calc for complex data analysis. Pivot tables are a powerful tool that can be used to summarize, analyze, and report on large amounts of data. They can be used to perform a variety of tasks, including identifying trends and patterns, comparing different groups of data, calculating summary statistics, and creating reports and dashboards.

Here are some examples of how pivot tables can be used for complex data analysis:

  • Financial analysts can use pivot tables to analyze budget data by department, category, and expense type.

  • Marketing managers can use pivot tables to analyze website traffic data by source, channel, and campaign.

  • Sales managers can use pivot tables to analyze sales data by product, region, and salesperson.


Overall, pivot tables are a versatile tool that can be used for a wide range of data analysis tasks.

What are some practical applications of Pivot Tables?

Pivot tables can be used for a wide range of practical applications, including:

  • Financial analysis

  • Marketing analysis

  • Sales analysis

  • Project management

  • Human resources

Pivot tables are a versatile tool that can be used in any industry for a variety of data analysis tasks.

Summary

This article is a comprehensive guide to creating and using Pivot Tables in LibreOffice Calc. It covers their importance, practical applications, creation steps, editing and filtering, and introduces a free alternative, WPS Spreadsheet.

15 years of office industry experience, tech lover and copywriter. Follow me for product reviews, comparisons, and recommendations for new apps and software.