How to Add Data to a Pivot Table

Easy guide to update your pivot table

This wikiHow teaches you how to add data to an existing pivot table in Microsoft Excel. You can do this in both Windows and Mac versions of Excel.

Steps

  1. Image titled Add Data to a Pivot Table Step 1
    1
    Open your pivot table Excel document. Double-click the Excel document that contains your pivot table. It will open.
  2. Image titled Add Data to a Pivot Table Step 2
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    Go to the spreadsheet page that contains your data. Click the tab that contains your data (e.g., Sheet 2) at the bottom of the Excel window.
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  3. Image titled Add Data to a Pivot Table Step 3
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    Add or change your data. Enter the data that you want to add to your pivot table directly next to or below the current data.
    • For example, if you have data in cells A1 through E10, you would add another column in the F column or another row in the 11 row.
    • If you simply want to change the data in your pivot table, alter the data here.
  4. Image titled Add Data to a Pivot Table Step 4
    4
    Go back to the pivot table tab. Click the tab on which your pivot table is listed.
  5. Image titled Add Data to a Pivot Table Step 5
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    Select your pivot table. Click the pivot table to select it.
  6. Image titled Add Data to a Pivot Table Step 6
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    Click the Analyze tab. It's in the middle of the green ribbon that's at the top of the Excel window. Doing so will open a toolbar just below the green ribbon.
    • On a Mac, click the PivotTable Analyze tab here instead.
  7. Image titled Add Data to a Pivot Table Step 7
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    Click Change Data Source. This option is in the "Data" section of the Analyze toolbar. A drop-down menu will appear.
  8. Image titled Add Data to a Pivot Table Step 8
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    Click Change Data Source…. It's in the drop-down menu. Doing so opens a window.
  9. Image titled Add Data to a Pivot Table Step 9
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    Select your data. Click and drag from the top-left cell in your data group down to the bottom-left cell in the group. This will include the column(s) or row(s) that you added.
  10. Image titled Add Data to a Pivot Table Step 10
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    Click OK. It's at the bottom of the window.
  11. Image titled Add Data to a Pivot Table Step 11
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    Click Refresh. It's in the "Data" section of the toolbar.
    • If you added a new column to your pivot table, check its box in the right side of the Excel window to display it.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    How can I refresh data on a pivot table?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    While in the data of the Pivot Table, the Analyze/Design tabs are viewable on the Ribbon, select the 'Refresh' button on the ribbon (it has 2 arrows that create a circle).
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About This Article

Jack Lloyd
Written by:
Jack Lloyd
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jack Lloyd. Jack Lloyd is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. He has over two years of experience writing and editing technology-related articles. He is technology enthusiast and an English teacher. This article has been viewed 290,282 times.
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Co-authors: 8
Updated: August 23, 2022
Views: 290,282
Categories: Databases
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