In October 2008, I have started an ambitious series of posts on this blog called – Spreadcheats. These are little tricks, nuggets, tutorials on using Excel that would make anyone a spreadsheet guru.
The spreadcheats series has been wildly successful. I am compiling all this useful information and articles in to one big post so that anyone can follow the links and become good in Excel. Read on,
[Note: This is not for beginners. If you know what a formula is, you would enjoy this 31 articles]
1: Insert Line Breaks in a Cell
Press ALT+Enter keys in a cell to make a new line inside the cell. [Read this]
2: Select all cells in a range
Use these keyboard shortcuts to select all the cells in a range or group. You can find 90 more shortcuts on that page. [Read this]
3: Using Mouse in Excel
Many of us know at few keyboard shortcuts. But what about mouse short-cuts? Read this post to learn interesting mouse shortcuts that can boost your productivity. [Read this]
4: Using Mouse in Excel – Part 2
In the second part of Mouse shortcuts, we explore double click tricks in Excel. [Read this]
5: Save time by using chart templates
In this spreadcheat, learn how to make your own chart templates and re-use them to save time. [Read this]
6: Make ToC (Table of Contents) in Excel – and other tricks
We all run in to large excel workbooks one time or other. Read this post to find out how you can manage when you have a large file. [Read this]
7: How to print spreadsheets one just one page?
Use the little trick in print settings to print any worksheet on just one page. [Read this]
8: Write better formulas by knowing the difference between relative and absolute references
Quick, what is the difference between A1 and $A$1? If you said 2 dollars, you are the right person to read this article. Learning the differences and usages of various reference types in Excel is important if you want to write better and simpler formulas. [Read this]
9: Remove duplicate items using formulas
Learn how to remove duplicates, identify unique values etc. using formulas in this article. [Read this]
10: Introduction to VLOOKUP Formula (and MATCH, OFFSET Formulas)
VLOOKUP remains one of the most important and very useful formulas in Excel. Learn how to write vlookup formulas by reading this article. [Read this]
11: Introduction to 3D References in Excel (a tutorial on Employee Satisfaction Surveys in Excel)
In this tutorial, we will explore a feature called 3D References in Excel and build an employee satisfaction survey form in Excel. [Read this]
12: Introduction to SUMPRODUCT formula
Learn how to use SUMPRODUCT to find sum of values that meet more than one condition. [Read this]
13: Introduction to ROWS and COLUMNS formulas
One of my recent favorites, ROWS() formula is very useful to generate sequential numbers in Excel. [Read this]
14: Calculate Moving Average in Excel
Use excel formulas and relative references to calculate moving average from your data. [Read this]
15: Introduction to FREQUENCY formula
We use FREQUENCY formula in Excel to generate statistical distribution of a set of values in this example. [Read this]
16: How to understand and fix excel formula errors
If you are ever perplexed by #N/A, #NAME! and said #$#@ to excel, this is the article for you. Read it to learn what these errors actually mean and how to fix them. [Read this]
17: Quick tip to Debug Complex Excel Formulas
Use Function key F9 to debug lengthy and complex excel formulas. Select a portion of the formula and press F9 to instantly evaluate that portion and see the result. Read this article to find out how to use this trick. [Read this]
18: Use Find / Replace tool to change formulas
Learn how to use Find / Replace tool in Excel to quickly edit formulas and change them. [Read this]
19: Introduction to COUNTIF and SUMIF Formulas
COUNTIF and SUMIF are very simple yet very powerful formula tools for anyone using Excel. In this article, explore these formulas and learn to use them. [Read this]
20: Introduction to Array Formulas in Excel
Array formula is like a mega formula that would work on an entire range of cells and return another range of cells. They are useful for scenarios where the output we need is not one value but a set of values. In this introductory example, learn how to write your first array formula. [Read this]
21: Introduction to Excel Conditional Formatting
Excel conditional formatting is your way of telling excel to highlight / change formatting of cells that meet certain criteria. This is a good way to draw attention to few points from a large table. Learn how to use Excel CF in this introductory article. [Read this]
22: Introduction to Excel Camera Tool
In this article, learn about Excel Camera (or Snapshot) tool which is useful for making a live snapshot of a range of cells. [Read this]
23: Introduction to Excel Pivot Tables
Pivot tables are a powerful way to analyze and report your data. In this introductory post, you will find all the basics of pivot tables and learn some tricks. [Read this]
24: Introduction to Excel Goal Seek
Goal Seek is opposite of formulas. In formulas we tell excel a bunch of values and excel finds the result. In goal seek, we tell excel what the result should and excel tells us what kind of parameters should be given. This is useful to find, for eg. Your retirement nest egg value … [Read this]
25: Introduction to Combination Charts in Excel
Learn how to combine 2 different chart types in to one chart in this article. [Read this]
26: Make a Dynamic / Interactive Chart using Data Filters
Do you know that we can use data filters to filter charts as well as data? Well, in this article, you can learn a powerful yet simple trick to make a dynamic chart in Excel using data filters alone. [Read this]
27: Make a Dynamic / Interactive Chart using INDEX Formula
Learn how to set up a dynamic or interactive chart using INDEX formula and Camera tool in Excel. [Read this]
28: Make Collapsible Charts using Group – Outline Tools
We can collapse / expand charts using the group and outline tools in Excel. Learn how to set up such a collapsible chart in Excel. [Read this]
29: Showing Chart Labels in Different Colors – Charting Tricks
Learn how to use custom cell formatting codes to show chart labels in different colors based on a criteria. [Read this]
30: Advanced Data Validation Tricks in Excel – Part 1
In part 1 of excel data validation tricks, we will learn how to use excel formulas to control the way data validation works. [Read this]
31: Advanced Data Validation Tricks in Excel – Part 2
In part 2 of data validation tricks, we will learn how to prevent duplicate data entry using data validation formulas. [Read this]
Happy learning 🙂
13 Responses to “Using pivot tables to find out non performing customers”
To avoid the helper column and the macro, I would transpose the data into the format shown above (Name, Year, Sales). Now I can show more than one year, I can summarize - I can do many more things with it. ASAP Utilities (http://www.asap-utilities.com) has a new experimental feature that can easily transpose the table into the correct format. Much easier in my opinion.
David
Of course with alternative data structure, we can easily setup a slicer based solution so that everything works like clockwork with even less work.
David, I was just about to post the same!
In Contextures site, I remember there's a post on how to do that. Clearly, the way data is layed out on the very beginning is critical to get the best results, and even you may thinkg the original layout is the best way, it is clearly not. And that kind of mistakes are the ones I love ! because it teaches and trains you to avoid them, and how to think on the data structure the next time.
Eventually, you get to that place when you "see" the structure on the moment the client tells you the request, and then, you realized you had an ephiphany, that glorious moment when data is no longer a mistery to you!!!
Rgds,
Chandoo,
If the goal is to see the list of customers who have not business from yearX, I would change the helper column formula to :
=IF(selYear="all",sum(C4:M4),sum(offset(C4:M4,,selyear-2002,1,columns(C4:M4)-selyear+2002)))This formula will sum the sales from Selected Year to 2012.
JMarc
If you are already using a helper column and the combox box runs a macro after it changes, why not just adjust the macro and filter the source data?
Regards
I gotta say, it seems like you are giving 10 answers to 10 questions when your client REALLY wants to know is: "What is the last year "this" customer row had a non-zero Sales QTY?... You're missing the forest for the trees...
Change the helper column to:
=IFERROR(INDEX(tblSales[[#Headers],[Customer name]:[Sales 2012]],0,MATCH(9.99999999999999E+307,tblSales[[#This Row],[Customer name]:[Sales 2012]],1)),"NO SALES")
And yes, since I'm matching off of them for value, I would change the headers to straight "2002" instead of "Sales 2002" but you sort the table on the helper column and then and there you can answer all of your questions.
Hi thanks for this. Just can't figure out how you get the combo box to control the pivot table. Can you please advise?
Cheers
@Kevin.. You are welcome. To insert a combo box, go to Developer ribbon > Insert > form controls > combo box.
For more on various form controls and how to use them, please read this: http://chandoo.org/wp/2011/03/30/form-controls/
Thanks Chandoo. But I know how to insert a combobox, I was more referring to how does in control the year in the pivot table? Or is this obvious? I note that if I select the Selected Year from the PivotTable Field List it says "the field has no itens" whereas this would normally allow you to change the year??
Thanks again
worked it out thanks...
when =data!Q2 changes it changes the value in column N:N and then when you do a refreshall the pivottable vlaues get updated
Still not sure why PivotTable Field List says “the field has no itens"?? I created my own pivot table and could not repeat that.
Hi, I put the sales data in range(F5:P19) and added a column D with the title 'Last sales in year'. After that, in column D for each customer, the simple formula
=2000+MATCH(1000000,E5:P5)
will provide the last year in which that particular customer had any sales, which can than easily be managed by autofilter.
Somewhat longer but perhaps a bit more solid (with the column titles in row 4):
=RIGHT(INDEX($F$4:$P$19,1,MATCH(1000000,F5:P5)),4)
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