Excel Charts and Pivot Tables

Summarise and Present Excel Data with Clear Charts and PivotTables

This practical half-day training course introduces two Excel tools for grouping, summarising and presenting prepared data: charts and PivotTables. You will learn how to create and format charts, choose suitable chart types, build PivotTables and create PivotCharts.

Whether you need quick guidance on presenting clean, ready-to-use data or want a concise introduction before further specialist training, this course helps you turn worksheet data into meaningful visual summaries. You will build practical skills that support clearer analysis, reporting and communication.

Excel Charts and PivotTables is ideal for people who:

• Have clean, ready-to-use data in Excel
• Need quick guidance on presenting data meaningfully
• Want an introduction to both charts and PivotTables
• Use Excel formulas and basic functions confidently
• Need to analyse and summarise workplace data more effectively
• Need more comprehensive training in either topic: We suggest our separate half-day courses, Excel Charts or Excel Pivot Tables.

To attend Excel Charts and PivotTables, you should:

• Have knowledge equivalent to Excel Essential Skills, or be comfortable creating Excel formulas
• Be familiar with SUM, COUNT and AVERAGE
• Understand absolute references such as $A$1
• Start with Excel Essential Skills if you are new to Excel.

After completing Excel Charts and PivotTables, you will be able to:

• Navigate the Excel tools used for chart and PivotTable work
• Create, move, resize and format charts
• Select suitable chart types and source data
• Edit chart series, labels, axes, trendlines and error bars
• Create and format PivotTables, calculated fields and calculated items
• Build PivotCharts and prepare workbook output for distribution

Using Charts

• Create and insert charts from worksheet data
• Move and resize embedded charts
• Change chart types and apply chart styles
• Adjust chart layouts, labels, axes, and gridlines

Selecting the Correct Chart & Data

• Choose the most suitable chart type for the data
• Add data and data series to an existing chart
• Change the source range used by a chart
• Edit, reorder, or remove chart data series

Editing Charts

• Select and edit individual chart elements
• Change the chart type after creation
• Update the cells included in the chart
• Modify chart fonts, colours, and formatting

Understanding Series

• Understand how chart series are structured
• Use the Series function to inspect chart data
• Add or delete data series in a chart
• Replace cell references with fixed values when required

Trendlines and Error Bars

• Add trendlines to show data patterns
• Choose appropriate trendline types
• Format trendlines and adjust their settings
• Add and customise error bars to show variation

Summarising data with PivotTables

• Create PivotTables from prepared worksheet data
• Arrange fields to summarise information clearly
• Format PivotTables for readability
• Use calculated fields and calculated items

Creating PivotCharts

• Create PivotCharts from PivotTable data
• Format PivotCharts to improve presentation
• Modify PivotChart layouts and chart elements Use PivotCharts to explore and present summarised data
• Converting earlier versions to the current version