<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Deleting, copying, moving pivot tables

You can also delete, copy and move your created pivot tables. You will find out how to do this in the following paragraphs.

Tip: To delete, copy or move, it is always necessary to select the entire area of the pivot table report exactly. The easiest way to do this is to place the mouse in a cell of the report and use the key combination Ctrl+A to select it. Alternatively, choose the ribbon command Home | group Selection | Select all.

Deleting pivot tables

Deleting pivot tables works in a similar manner to the standard procedures for deleting. Note, however, that the pivot table report must be selected as a whole; individual cells cannot be deleted separately.

Thus, select the entire pivot table report and delete it using one of the following methods:

▪Press the Del key on the keyboard

▪Use the ribbon command Home | group Contents | Delete or open the context menu by right-clicking with the mouse on the pivot table report and selecting Delete special.

Copying pivot tables

You can copy pivot tables at any time and duplicate them in the same worksheet in a different place or in a new worksheet. The copied pivot table will have the same values as the original. Even after you click on the Refresh data button, the copied pivot table adopts changed data from the source table.

In the copied pivot table, however, you still have the option of configuring it independently of the copied original with regard to field arrangement, formatting, etc. This gives you different views of the reports for the same source data.

Select the entire pivot table report to copy it and proceed according to one of the following methods:

▪Use the ribbon command Home | Copy and then Home | Paste

▪Right-click on the pivot table report to open the context menu and select Copy and then Paste

▪Drag the pivot table report with the mouse to the desired position and press the Ctrl key to drop it before releasing the mouse.

▪Alternatively, simply use the key combination Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V

You can now decide which report you want to work on by clicking in the respective pivot table report. The program displays the relevant field list that corresponds to the selected report.

Moving pivot tables

Select the entire pivot table report and use the left mouse button to drag the selected range to a free position in the worksheet. Ensure that the report does not overlap the source data area.

If you want to move the pivot table report to another worksheet, proceed as follows:

▪Choose the ribbon command Insert | group Tables | Pivot table . Alternatively, right click in the pivot table to open the context menu and choose the command Modify pivot table areas. In the dialog box, enter the target range and the desired worksheet (see Updating pivot tables and changing data area).

▪Alternatively, copy the pivot table report as described above, switch to a free space in the desired worksheet and paste the copy from the clipboard. Then remove the remaining pivot table report from its former location.

Some restrictive notes on copying and moving source/target range

Copying and moving data ranges – both the source range and the target range (the pivot table report) – is not fully possible in the same way as is usual when working with normal tables. You should note the following rules:

▪Copy & paste the source range/target range: Although you can first copy the source range of your data and paste it to another position, the pivot table is still referenced to the position of the original source range and not to the new position. This means that the former cell range is still addressed when the data is refreshed, and if it has been removed, an error message appears. This restriction also applies if you copy and paste the source range together with the target range. Copying and pasting only the target range to another position can be easily done.

▪Drag & drop the source range/target range: If you drag the selected source range to another position with the mouse, the aforementioned restriction does not apply. The pivot data will be referenced to the new cell range and will be correctly addressed when the data is refreshed. Dragging and dropping only the target range or together with the source range can also be easily done.

▪Cut & paste the source range/target range: Cutting is neither possible for the source range nor for the target range. An error message appears when you use this command.

In the following table, you can see the options once again clearly summarized: