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Please see the file:
Minor Project Instructions
Download Minor Project Instructions
for details about your minor project. You will also need the data file,
T3 Tech Plugin Data
Download T3 Tech Plugin Data
, and the file,
T3 Jitters Coffee Data
Download T3 Jitters Coffee Data
, to complete this project. You will be graded according to the
rubric
Download rubric
.
These exercises will introduce you to the variety of uses of PivotTables. For more information on PivotTables please see the files named,
Tech Plug-In T3
Download Tech Plug-In T3
Problem Solving Using Excel. Please read the information provided and complete each exercise listed below. Once you have completed all 4 of the exercises, submit your Excel and Word documents using the assignment link above.
All 4 sections of the Minor Project should be uploaded in Canvas, including:
1. A Pivot Table illustrating the monthly magazine sales by the sales representative as illustrated in Figure T3.17 of the assignment instructions.
2. A Pivot Table Chart illustrating the monthly magazine sales by the sales representative as illustrated in Figure T3.18 of the assignment instructions.
3. A Pivot Table and Chart illustrating the top 4 selling coffee products.
4. A 300 to 500-word describing the use of pivot tables and charts in a business or ministry setting.
BUSN 420 Management Information Systems
Minor Project
The following exercises will introduce you to Microsoft Excel Pivot Tables. Having a good
understanding of Pivot Tables will give you an advantage in the business world. When your supervisor
asks you to analyze a large pile of data to solve a problem, you will be able to use a Pivot Table to slice
and dice data to gain information and create usable business intelligence to solve a real-world problem.
Please read the information provided and complete each exercise. Once you have completed all of the
exercises below, submit your Excel and Word documents using the assignment link in Canvas.
Please see the grading rubric at the end of these instructions for more information.
• First, read the attached Tech Plug-In T3: Problem Solving Using
Excel document
• Then, review the “Using the PivotTable Feature” section on pages T3-10 through T3-14
• Create Figure T3.17 “Rearranged PivotTable Data” on page T3-13 and Figure T3.18 “PivotChart
Output” on page T3-14
SOLVE A PROBLEM USING A PIVOT TABLE
• Refer to the “Making Business Decision” section of the Tech Plug-In T3: Problem Solving Using
Excel document
• Complete Exercise 2: Coffee Trends
• Develop a PivotTable and PivotTable chart illustrating the top-selling coffee products
• Indicate the top 4 selling coffee products
PIVOT TABLE APPLICATIONS
How have you in the past, or could you in the future, use pivot tables in a business or ministry setting?
Considering the power of Pivot Tables to analyze data, what ethical issues might arise from the
improper usage of this tool to analyze business or ministry data. How should a Christian Worldview
inform these ethical dilemmas?
Please be brief and keep your response to around 300-500 words. Support your response with at
least one peer-reviewed scholarly journal
reference.
All 4 sections of the Minor Project should be uploaded in Canvas, including:
1. A Pivot Table illustrating the monthly magazine sales by the sales representative as illustrated in Figure
T3.17 of the assignment instructions.
2. A Pivot Table Chart illustrating the monthly magazine sales by the sales representative as illustrated in
Figure T3.18 of the assignment instructions.
3. A Pivot Table and Chart illustrating the top 4
selling coffee
products.
4. A 300 to 500-word essay describing the use of pivot tables and charts in a business or ministry setting.
The following rubric will be used to grade your submissions:
*
BUSN 420 Minor Project Grading Rubric (100 points)
PivotTable Possible
Points
Actual
Points Excellent/Good Fair/Poor
Demonstrates
knowledge of the
PivotTable wizard by
accurately placing the field
buttons onto the PivotTable
grid. The PivotTable represents
the
information presented in
Figure T3.17 with the magazine
in the page area, the month in
the column area, the sales rep
field in the row area, and the
sale field in the data area.
Demonstrates limited
knowledge of the
PivotTable wizard
through inaccurately
placing the field buttons
onto the PivotTable grid.
The PivotTable has the
information presented in
Figure T3.17; however,
the information is not in
the same order.
10
10
The monthly totals and grand
totals exactly match the totals in
Figure
T3.17.
The monthly totals and
grand totals are different
from the totals in Figure
T3.17.
5
5
The Sales Rep field list is in
alphabetical order
(A to
Z).
The Sales Rep field list is
not in alphabetical order
(A to Z).
5 5
The monthly sales total
columns are listed in order
starting with
January.
The monthly sales total
columns
are not listed in
order and do not start in
January.
5
5
Comments: 25 25
PivotTable Chart
Possible
Points
Actual
Points
The PivotTable chart is in
column format, as illustrated in
Figure T3.18.
The PivotTable chart is
not in column format. 8 8
The sales rep columns are listed
in alphabetical order (A to Z).
The sales rep columns
are not listed in
alphabetical order (A to
Z).
7
7
The chart legend is located on
the right side
of the chart.
The chart legend is not
located on the right side
of the chart.
5
5
Comments:
20 20
Using Pivot Tables to Solve a Problem
Possible
Points
Actual
Points
The pivot table and chart have
been properly constructed from
the
provided data.
The pivot table and chart
have not been properly
constructed from the
provided data.
10
10
The pivot table and chart
clearly identify the top four
selling coffee products.
The pivot table does not
clearly identify the top
four selling coffee
products.
10
10
The student has made a clear
recommendation that identifies
the top four selling coffee
products.
The student has not made
a clear recommendation
that identifies the top
four selling coffee
products.
5
5
Comments:
25 25
PivotTable Applications
Possible
Points
Actual
Points
The student has provided robust
examples of the use of Pivot
Tables.
The student has provided
minor examples of the
use of Pivot Tables.
10
10
The student has supported his
or her text with at least one
peer-reviewed scholarly journal
reference.
The student has not
supported his or her text
with at least one peer-
reviewed scholarly
journal reference.
5
5
The student has kept close to
the
300-500 word count
requirement.
The student has strayed
significantly from the
300-500 word count
requirement.
5
5
Spelling, punctuation, grammar,
and APA formatting are stellar.
Spelling, punctuation,
grammar, and APA
formatting are poor.
10
10
Comments:
30 30
Late deductions (e.g., -10):
Final Score: 100 100
Overall Comments:
*
PivotTableData
| Sale | Region | Month | Magazine | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bucknell, Peter | West | 1-Jan | $ 500 | Business Times | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Smith, Michael | South | 1-Feb | $ 900 | IT Weekly | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Anderson, Rachel | $ 700 | Value Driven Journal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fuller, Brad | North | $ 375 | People, Places, and Machines | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cushman, David | $ 450 | Dollars and Sense | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nell, Janet | East | $ 550 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peaslee, Garrett | $ 800 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Drew, Nancy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ 600 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ 1,250 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ 1,400 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ 1,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ 1,200 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ 580 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ 400 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ 720 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ 925 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ 1,100 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ 250 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ 750 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1-Mar | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1-Apr | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sheet1
| Key | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jitters = | North | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bean Scene = | South | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Product | Month | Store | Revenue | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Regular | January | 4320 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| February | 4500 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| March | 3528 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| April | 3960 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| May | 3996 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| June | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| July | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| August | 4230 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| September | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| October | 4275 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November | 4365 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| December | 4455 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4128 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4176 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3936 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4090 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4350 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Decaf | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3610 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3640 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2210 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2430 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2460 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2540 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2310 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2620 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2450 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2480 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2610 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2340 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2380 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2400 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2320 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| French Roast | 2290 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5290 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vanilla | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Irish Cream | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hazelnut | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Excellent/Good Fair/Poor
Demonstrates knowledge of the
PivotTable wizard by accurately
placing the field buttons onto the
PivotTable grid. The PivotTable
represents the information presented
in Figure T3.17 with the magazine in
the page area, the month in the
column area, the sales rep field in the
row area, and the sale field in the data
area.
Demonstrates limited
knowledge of the PivotTable
wizard through inaccurately
placing the field buttons onto
the PivotTable grid. The
PivotTable has the information
presented in Figure T3.17,
however the information is not
in the same order.
10 10
The monthly totals and grand totals
exactly match the totals in Figure
T3.17.
The monthly totals and grand
totals are different from the
totals in Figure T3.17.
5 5
The Sales Rep field list is in
alphabetical order (A to Z).
The Sales Rep field list is not
in alphabetical order (A to Z). 5 5
The monthly sales total columns are
listed in order starting with January.
The monthly sales total
columns are not listed in order
and do not start in January. 5 5
25 25
Possible Points Actual Points
The PivotTable chart is in column
format as illustrated in Figure T3.18.
The PivotTable chart is not in
column format. 8 8
The sales rep columns are listed in
alphabetical order (A to Z).
The sales rep columns are not
listed in alphabetical order (A
to Z).
7 7
The chart legend is located on the
right side of the chart.
The chart legend is not located
on the right side of the chart. 5 5
20 20
Possible Points Actual Points
The pivot table and chart have been
properly constructed from the provided
data.
The pivot table and chart have
not been properly constructed
from the provided data.
10 10
The pivot table and chart clearly
identify the top four selling coffee
products.
The pivot table does not
clearly identify the top four
selling
coffee products.
10 10
PivotTable
BUSN 420 Minor Project Grading Rubric (100 points)
Comments:
Using Pivot Tables to Solve a Problem
PivotTable Chart
Comments:
Possible Points Actual Points
The student has made a clear
recommendation that identifies the top
four selling coffee products.
The student has not made a
clear recommendation that
identifies the top four selling
coffee products.
5 5
25 25
Possible Points Actual Points
The student has provided robust
examples of the use of Pivot Tables.
The student has provided
minor examples of the use of
Pivot Tables.
10 10
The student has supported his or her
text with at least one peer-reviewed
scholarly
journal references.
The student has not supported
his or her text with at least one
peer-reviewed scholarly
journal references.
5 5
The student has kept close to the 300-
500 word count requirement.
The student has strayed
significantly from the 300-500
word count requirement.
5 5
Spelling, punctuation, grammar, and
APA formatting are stellar.
Spelling, punctuation,
grammar, and APA formatting
are poor.
10 10
30 30
100 100Final Score:
Overall Comments:
Comments:
PivotTable Applications
Comments:
Late deductions (e.g., -10):
Confirming Pages
Introduction
If you routinely track large amounts of information, such as customer mailing lists, phone
lists, product inventories, sales transactions, and so on, you can use the extensive list manage-
ment capabilities of Excel to make your job easier.
In this plug-in you will learn how to create a list in a workbook, sort the list based on one
or more fields, locate important records by using filters, organize and analyze entries by using
subtotals, and create summary information by using pivot tables and pivot charts. The
lists that you create will be compatible with Microsoft Access, and if you are not already
familiar with Access, the techniques that you learn here will give you a head start on
learn-ing several database commands and terms. Plug-In T6, “Basic Skills and Tools Using
Access,” will provide detail on many of the Access database commands and terms.
This plug-in covers the following five topics:
1. Building lists.
2. Creating conditional formatting.
3. Using Autofilter to find records.
4. Analyzing a list with the Subtotals command.
5. Using the PivotTable feature.
1. Describe how to create and sort a list in Excel.
2. Explain why you would use conditional formatting in Excel.
3. Describe the use of the Excel AutoFilter feature.
4. Explain how to use the Excel Subtotal command.
5. Describe the use of the Excel PivotTable feature.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Problem Solving Using Excel 2019 T3
P L U G – I N
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Copyright 2022 © McGraw Hill LLC. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill LLC.
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Building Lists
A list is a collection of rows and columns of consistently formatted data adhering to some-
what stricter rules than an ordinary worksheet. To build a list that works with all of Excel’s
list management commands, you need to follow a few guidelines.
When you create a list, keep the following in mind:
■ Maintain a fixed number of columns (or categories) of information; you can alter the
number of rows as you add, delete, or rearrange records to keep your list up to date.
■ Use each column to hold the same type of information.
■ Don’t leave blank rows or columns in the list area; you can leave blank cells, if necessary.
■ Make your list the only information in the worksheet so that Excel can more easily
recognize the data as a list.
■ Maintain your data’s integrity by entering identical information consistently. For
example, don’t enter an expense category as Ad in one row, Adv in another, and
Advertising in a third if all belong to the same classification.
To create a list in Excel:
1. Open a new workbook or a new sheet in an existing workbook.
2. Create a column heading for each field in the list, format the headings in bold type, and
adjust their alignment.
3. Format the cells below the column headings for the data that you plan to use. This can
include number formats (such as currency or date), alignment, or any other formats.
4. Add new records (your data) below the column headings, taking care to be consistent in
your use of words and titles so that you can organize related records into groups later. Enter
as many rows as you need, making sure that there are no empty rows in your list, not even
between the column headings and the first record. See Figure T3.1 for a sample list.
FIGURE T3.1
An Excel List
Copyright 2022 © McGraw Hill LLC. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill LLC.
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SORTING ROWS AND COLUMNS
Once your records are organized into a list, you can use several commands on the Data menu
to rearrange and analyze the data. The Sort command allows you to arrange the records in a
different order based on the values in one or more columns. You can sort records in ascending
or descending order or in a custom order, such as by days of the week, months of the year, or
job title.
To sort a list based on one column:
1. Select the SortData worksheet from the T3 Tech PlugIn Data File.xlsx workbook
located in the T3 data files folder.
2. Click any cell in the Sales Rep column; you want to use this column as the basis for sorting
the list.
3. Click the Data tab.
4. Click the Ascending button to specify the order to sort by (A to Z, lowest to highest,
earliest date to latest).
Your screen will look similar to Figure T3.2.
FIGURE T3.2
A Sorted List
SORTING MORE THAN ONE COLUMN
If you have records in your list that have identical entries in the column you are sorting, you
can specify additional sorting criteria to further organize your list.
To sort a list based on two or three columns:
1. Click any cell in the Sales Rep column.
2. Click the Data tab, and then click the Sort button. The Sort dialog box opens.
3. Click the Column list arrow, and then select the Sales Rep in the Sort by drop-down list.
Click the Order list arrow and specify A to Z order for that column.
4. Click the Add Level button, then click Magazine in the Then by drop-down list. Specify
A to Z order for the second sort.
5. Click the Add Level button, then click Sale for the sort. Specify Smallest to Largest order
for the third sort. The Sort dialog box should look like Figure T3.3 when you are done.
6. Click OK to run the sort.
Figure T3.4 shows how the sort looks based on the options you selected above.
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FIGURE T3.3
Sort Dialog Box with Multiple
Records
FIGURE T3.4
Data Sort Using More
Than One Column
CREATING YOUR OWN CUSTOM SORT ORDER
Excel allows you to create custom sort orders so that you can rearrange lists that do not follow
predictable alphanumerical or chronological patterns. For example, you can create a custom
sort order for the regions of the country (West, North, East, South). When you define a cus-
tom sort order, it appears in the Options dialog box and is available to all the workbooks on
your computer.
To create a custom sort order:
1. Click the File tab, scroll down to the Options button. A box will open, choose Advanced.
Scroll down the dialog box that opens. Under the General category, click the box Edit
Custom Lists.
2. Click the line NEW LIST under the Custom Lists section, and the text pointer appears in
the List entries: list box. This is where you will type the items in your custom list.
Copyright 2022 © McGraw Hill LLC. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill LLC.
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3. Type North, East, South, West, and then click Add. You can either separate each value
with a comma or type each one on a separate line. The new custom order appears in the
Custom Lists list box, as shown in Figure T3.5
4. Click OK to close the Custom Lists dialog box, and again for the Excel Options box.
FIGURE T3.5
Creating a Custom Sort
To use a custom sort order:
1. Click any cell in your list.
2. Click the Home tab. Then under the Editing group, click Sort & Filter, and then click
Custom Sort.
3. Under Column, in the Sort by drop-down box, select the Region field.
4. Under Order, select Custom List.
5. In the Custom Lists dialog box, select North, East, South, West, as shown in
Figure T3.6.
6. Click OK to run the sort. Your list appears sorted with the custom criteria you specified.
FIGURE T3.6
Sort Options Dialog Box
Creating
Conditional Formatting
Excel gives you the ability to add conditional formatting—formatting that automatically
adjusts depending on the contents of cells—to your worksheet. This means you can highlight
important trends in your data, such as the rise in a stock price, a missed milestone, or a sudden
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spurt in your college expenses, based on conditions you set in advance using the Conditional
Formatting dialog box. With this feature, an out-of-the-ordinary number jumps out at anyone
who routinely uses the worksheet.
For example, if a stock in a Gain/Loss column rises by more than 20 percent, you want to
display numbers in bold type on a light blue background. In addition, if a stock in the Gain/
Loss column falls by more than 20 percent, you want to display the number in bold type on a
solid red background. This is when you want to use conditional formatting.
To create such a conditional format:
1. If the workbook T3 Tech PlugIn Data File.xlsx is closed, open it.
2. Select the worksheet Conditional Formatting.
3. Select the column Sale. (Note: Each cell can maintain its own, unique conditional
formatting, so that you can set up several different conditions.)
4. Click the Home tab.
5. In the Styles section, click the Conditional Formatting button, and then point to
Highlight Cell Rules and click Between. . . .
6. In the first text box, type the number 1000.
7. In the second text box, type the number 1200.
8. In the third text box, use the drop-down arrow to select Green Fill with Dark Green
Text. Figure T3.7 displays the settings for this example.
9. Click OK. If any numbers fall into the ranges you specified, the formatting you specified
will be applied.
10. Now you need to add another rule to supply different criteria. Click the Conditional
Formatting button, and then point to Highlight Cell Rules and click Greater Than. . . .
11. Type 1250 in the first box and select Red Fill with Dark Red Text using the drop-
down arrow from the second box.
12. Click OK.
13. If any numbers fall into the ranges you identified, the formatting you specified will be
applied. Figure T3.8 shows the conditional formatting you entered for this example.
FIGURE T3.7
Conditional Formatting
Dialog Box
Using AutoFilter to Find Records
When you want to hide all the records (rows) in your list except those that meet certain crite-
ria, you can use the AutoFilter command on the Filter submenu of the Data menu. The Auto-
Filter command places a drop-down list at the top of each column in your list (in the heading
row). To display a particular group of records, select the criteria that you want in one or more
of the drop-down lists. For example, to display the sales history for all employees that had
$1,000 orders in January, you could select January in the Month column drop-down list and
$1,000 in the Sale drop-down list.
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To use the AutoFilter command to find records:
1. If the workbook T3 Tech PlugIn Data File.xlsx is closed, open it.
2. Select the worksheet AutoFilter.
3. Click any cell in the list.
4. Click the Data tab, and then click the Filter button in the Sort & Filter section. Each
column head now displays a list arrow.
5. Click the list arrow next to the Region heading. A list box that contains filter options
appears, as shown in Figure T3.9.
FIGURE T3.8
Conditional Formatting
FIGURE T3.9
AutoFilter Options
Under Home Ribbon, Click Sort & Filer, Filter
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If a column in your list contains one or more blank cells, you will also see (Blanks) and
(NonBlanks) options at the bottom of the list. The (Blanks) option displays only the
records containing an empty cell (blank field) in the filter column, so that you can locate
any missing items quickly. The (NonBlanks) option displays the opposite—all records that
have an entry—in the filter column.
6. Select only East to use for this filter (you will have to uncheck the other entries). Excel
hides the entries that don’t match the criterion you specify and highlights the active
filter arrow. Figure T3.10 shows the results of using East as the criterion in the Region
column.
7. You can use more than one filter arrow to further narrow your list, which is useful if your
list is many records long. To continue working with AutoFilter but also redisplay all your
records, click the list arrow next to Region and check Show All. Excel displays all your
records again.
8. To remove the AutoFilter drop-down lists, unselect the AutoFilter command on the Filter
submenu.
FIGURE T3.10
Specific Autofilter
CREATING A CUSTOM AUTOFILTER
When you want to display a numeric range of data or customize a column filter in other
ways, choose Custom Filter . . . from the Number Filters option to display the Custom
AutoFilter dialog box. The dialog box contains two relational list boxes and two value list
boxes that you can use to build a custom range for the filter. For example, you could display
all sales greater than $1,000 or all sales between $500 and $800.
To create a custom AutoFilter:
1. Click any cell in the list.
2. Click the Data tab and then click the Filter button.
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3. Click the list arrow next to the heading Sale and select
Number Filters, and then click on Custom Filter. . . . The
Custom AutoFilter dialog box opens.
4. Click the first list box and select is greater than or equal
to and then click the value list box and select $500.
5. Click the And radio button to indicate that the records
must meet both criteria, and then specify is less than
or equal to in the second list box and select $800 in the
second value list box. Figure T3.11 shows the Custom
AutoFilter dialog box with two range criteria specified.
6. Click OK to apply the custom AutoFilter. The records
selected by the filter are displayed in your worksheet.
Analyzing a List with the Subtotals Command
The Subtotals command in the Outline section of the Data menu helps you organize and
analyze a list by displaying records in groups and inserting summary information, such as
subtotals, averages, maximum values, or minimum values.
The Subtotals command can also display a grand total at the top or bottom of your list,
letting you quickly add up columns of numbers. As a bonus, Subtotals displays your list in
Outline view so that you can expand or shrink each section in the list simply by clicking.
To add subtotals to a list:
1. If the workbook T3 Tech PlugIn Data File.xlsx is closed, open it.
2. Select the worksheet Subtotals.
3. Arrange the list so that the records for each group are located together.
To do this, sort the list by Sales Rep.
4. Click the Data tab, and then click the Subtotal button in the Outline
section. Excel opens the Subtotal dialog box and selects the list.
5. In the At each change in: list box, choose Sales Rep. Each time this
value changes, Excel inserts a row and computes a subtotal for the
numeric fields in this group of records.
6. In the Use function: list box, choose Sum.
7. In the Add subtotal to: list box, choose Sale, which is the column to
use in the subtotal calculation Figure T3.12 shows the settings for this
example.
8. Click OK to add the subtotals to the list. You will see a screen similar
to the one in Figure T3.13, complete with subtotals, outlining, and a
grand total.
When you use the Subtotals command in Excel to create outlines,
you can examine different parts of a list by clicking buttons in the left
margin. Click the numbers at the top of the left margin to choose how many levels of data
you want to see. Click the plus or minus button to expand or collapse specific subgroups
of data.
You can choose the Subtotals command as often as necessary to modify your groupings or
calculations. When you are finished using the Subtotals command, click Remove All in the
Subtotal dialog box.
FIGURE T3.11
Custom AutoFilter
FIGURE T3.12
Subtotal Settings
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Using the PivotTable Feature
A powerful built-in data analysis feature in Excel is PivotTable. The PivotTable feature ana-
lyzes, summarizes, and manipulates data in large lists, databases, worksheets, or other col-
lections. Pivot tables are so named because fields can be moved within the table to create
different types of summary lists, providing a “pivot.” The PivotTable feature offers flexible
and intuitive analysis of data.
Although the data that appear in pivot tables look like any other worksheet data, the data in
the data area of the PivotTable feature cannot be directly entered or changed. The PivotTable
feature is linked to the source data; the output in the cells of the table are read-only data. The
formatting (number, alignment, font, etc.) can be changed, and a variety of computational
options are available, such as SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, and MAX.
PIVOTTABLE TERMINOLOGY
Some notable PivotTable terms are:
■ Row field—Row fields have a row orientation in a PivotTable report and are displayed
as row labels. These appear in the ROW area of a PivotTable report layout.
■ Column field—Column fields have a column orientation in a PivotTable report and are
displayed as column labels. These appear in the COLUMN area of a PivotTable report
layout.
■ Data field—Data fields from a list or table contain summary data in a PivotTable report,
such as numeric data (e.g., statistics, sales amounts). These are summarized in the DATA
area of a PivotTable report layout.
■ Page field—Page fields filter out the data for other items and display one page at a time
in a PivotTable report.
FIGURE T3.13
Subtotals, Outline, and
Grand Total
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BUILDING A PIVOT TABLE
The PivotTable Wizard steps through the process of creating a pivot table, allowing a visual
breakdown of the data in the Excel list or database. When the wizard steps are complete, a
diagram, such as Figure T3.14, with the labels PAGE, COLUMN, ROW, and DATA appears.
The next step is to drag the field buttons onto the PivotTable grid. This step tells Excel about
the data needed to be analyzed with the table.
To use the PivotTable feature:
1. If the workbook T3 Tech PlugIn Data File.xlsx is closed, open it.
2. Select the worksheet PivotTableData. Click any cell in the list. Now the active cell is
within the list, and Excel knows to use the data in the Excel list to create a pivot table.
3. Click the Insert tab, and then click the PivotTable button in the Tables group, and click
on PivotTable.
4. The Create PivotTable dialog box opens. In the Select a table or range box, make sure
you see $A$1:$E$97.
5. Click OK. Your spreadsheet will now look like Figure T3.14.
6. Using the PivotTable Field List, drag the Month button to the Report Filter area. This
field operates like the row and column fields but provides a third dimension to the data. It
allows another variable to be added to the pivot table without necessarily viewing all its
values at the same time.
7. Drag the Region button to the COLUMN area. The column field is another variable used
for comparison.
FIGURE T3.14
PivotTable Grid, PivotTable
Toolbar, and PivotTable Field
List
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8. Drag the Magazine button to the ROW area. A row field in a pivot table is a variable that
takes on different values.
9. Drag the Sale button to the DATA area. The data field is the variable that the PivotTable
report summarizes. Your pivot table should now look like Figure T3.15.
FIGURE T3.15
PivotTable Output with Data,
PivotTable Toolbar, and
PivotTable Field List
MODIFYING A PIVOT TABLE VIEW
A pivot table can be modified at any time. For example, examining the sales for a particular
region would mean that the Region field would need to be changed. Use the drop-down list to
the right of the field name. Select a region and click OK. The grand total dollar amounts by
region are at the bottom of each item; they have been recalculated according to the selected
region(s).
This report can be used in various ways to analyze the data. For instance, click the Clear
button in the PivotTable report, as seen in Figure T3.16.
Then arrange the fields like this:
1. Magazine in the Report Filter area.
2. Month in the COLUMN area.
3. Sales Rep in the ROW area.
4. Sale in the DATA area.
The completed PivotTable dialog box should look like the one in Figure T3.17. The pivot
table now illustrates the sales by month for each salesperson, along with the total amount of
sales for each sales representative.
BUILDING A PIVOT CHART
A pivot chart is a column chart (by default) that is based on the data in a pivot table. The chart
type can be changed, if desired. To build a pivot chart:
1. Click the Insert tab, and then choose the PivotChart button in the Charts group.
2. Select the Stacked Column chart and click OK.
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FIGURE T3.16
Clearing the PivotTable
Fields
FIGURE T3.17
Rearranged PivotTable Data
3. The pivot chart should look like Figure T3.18.
4. The chart appears in your PivotTable worksheet. If you like, click the Move Chart button
on the Analyze tab and select New sheet from the Move Chart dialog box.
Note: Whatever changes are selected in the PivotChart feature are also made to the pivot
table, as the two features are linked dynamically.
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FIGURE T3.18
PivotChart Output
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P L U G – I N S U M M A R Y
If you routinely track large amounts of information, you can use several Excel tools for problem
solving. A list is a table of data stored in a worksheet, organized into columns of fields and rows
of records. Excel gives you the ability to add conditional formatting—formatting that automati-
cally adjusts depending on the contents of cells—to your worksheet. The AutoFilter command places
a drop-down list at the top of each column in your list (in the heading row). The Subtotals command
on the Data menu helps you organize and analyze a list by displaying records in groups and insert-
ing summary information, such as subtotals, averages, maximum values, or minimum values. The
PivotTable feature enables you to analyze, summarize, and manipulate data in large lists, databases,
worksheets, or other collections.
M A K I N G B U S I N E S S D E C I S I O N S
1. Production Errors
Established in 2000, t-shirts.com has rapidly become the place to find, order, and save on T-shirts.
One huge selling factor is that the company manufactures its own T-shirts. However, the quality
manager for the production plant, Kasey Harnish, has noticed an unacceptable number of defec-
tive T-shirts being produced. You have been hired to assist Kasey in understanding where the
problems are concentrated. He suggests using Excel’s PivotTable feature to perform an analysis
and has provided you with a data file, T3 TshirtProduction Data File.xlsx. The following is a
brief definition of the information within the data file:
a. Batch: A unique number that identifies each batch or group of products produced.
b. Product: A unique number that identifies each product.
c. Machine: A unique number that identifies each machine on which products are produced.
d. Employee: A unique number that identifies each employee producing products.
e. Batch Size: The number of products produced in a given batch.
f. Num Defect: The number of defective products produced in a given batch.
2. Coffee Trends
College chums Hannah Baltzan and Tyler Phillips are working on opening a third espresso drive-
through stand in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, called Brewed Awakening. Their original drive-
through stand, Jitters, and their second espresso stand, Bean Scene, have done well in their
current locations in Englewood, Colorado, five miles away. Since Hannah and Tyler want to start
with low overhead, they need assistance analyzing the data from the past year on the different
types of coffee and amounts that they sold from both stands. Hannah and Tyler would like a rec-
ommendation of the four top sellers to start offering when Brewed Awakening opens. They have
provided you with the data file T3 Jitters Coffee Data File.xlsx for you to perform the analysis
that will support your recommendation.
3. Filtering SecureIT Data
SecureIT, Inc., is a small computer security contractor that provides computer security analy-
sis, design, and software implementation for commercial clients. Almost all of SecureIT’s work
requires access to classified material or confidential company documents.
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Consequently, all of the security personnel have clearances of either Secret or Top Secret.
Some have even higher clearances for work that involves so-called black box security work.
Although most of the personnel information for SecureIT resides in database systems, a basic
employee worksheet is maintained for quick calculations and ad hoc report generation. Because
SecureIT is a small company, it can take advantage of Excel’s excellent list management capabili-
ties to satisfy many of its personnel information management needs. You have been provided with
a sample worksheet, T3 Employee Data File.xlsx, to assist SecureIT with producing several
work-sheet summaries. Here is what is needed:
a. One worksheet that is sorted by last name and hire date.
b. One worksheet that uses a custom sort by department in this order: Marketing, Human
Resources, Management, and Engineering.
c. One worksheet that uses a filter to display only those employees in the Engineering depart-
ment with a clearance of Top Secret (TS).
d. One worksheet that uses a custom filter to display only those employees born between 1960
and 1969 (inclusive).
e. One worksheet that totals the salaries by department and the grand total of all department
salaries. This worksheet should be sorted by department name first.
4. Filtering RedRocks Consulting Contributions
RedRocks Consulting is a large computer consulting firm in Denver, Colorado. Don McCubbrey,
the CEO and founder of the firm, is well-known for his philanthropic efforts. He believes that
many of his employees also contribute to nonprofit organizations and wants to reward them for
their efforts while encouraging others to contribute to charities. He started a program in which
RedRocks Consulting matches 50 percent of each donation an employee makes to the charity of
his or her choice. The only guidelines are that the charity must be a nonprofit organization and the
firm’s donation per employee may not exceed $500 a year.
Don has started an Excel file, T3 Red Rocks Data File.xlsx, to record the firm’s donations.
Included in this file are the dates the request for a donation was submitted, the employee’s
name and ID number, the name of the charity, the dollar amount contributed by the firm, and the
date the contri-bution was sent. Don wants you to help him create several worksheets with the
following criteria:
1. One worksheet that sorts the list alphabetically by organization and then by employee’s
last name.
2. One worksheet that totals the contribution made per employee for the month of December.
3. One worksheet that sorts the list by donation value by lowest amount to highest amount.
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