what are pivot tables

Hi Jane, Thank you for your post and welcome to the forum, in answer to your question

Pivot Tables are a summarisation of data, which is able to be manipulated so that results can be views from different perspectives; (Did that make sense?)

To create a Pivot Table in Excel you must have your data laid out in a list, this means that each column must have a heading (field name) and the information in that column must relate to the heading. You should also have a field which is numeric values otherwise the only summarisation your Pivot table will be able to do is to count the entries for a particular Field item.

Your list should not have any row or column gaps, (when Excel sees a gap it will consider that the list has ended,) especially between the Field Name and the column below it.

Once you list is correctly created, select Data>Pivot Table and Pivot Chart report, and follow the Wizard instructions to place your fields in either Page, Column, Row and Data locations.

You will now be viewing your Pivot Table which can be manipulated further by using the options on the Pivot Table Toolbar.

I hope that has helped you to understand them a little more, regards Pete