How to Use Tables in Excel?


Almost all of the data that we input into Excel is structured in table format — meaning that it is organized in a grid of columns and rows. Sometimes, this data takes the form of a free-flowing analysis, where rows, columns, and cells are combined together to do a calculation, estimation, or prediction. But some of the times, Excel is used just to organize the large quantities of data. For example, the below spreadsheet tracks orders are placed by SnackWorld's customers from Financial Year 2014-2016. Every line of the spreadsheet has directly comparable data:
  • Information on one order
  • Like the order date
  • Item name
  • Quantity
  • Unit price.
In the latter case, Excel has an extremely incredible handy feature that helps us organize and manipulate similar rows of data in a more effective way: Tables. Not to be confused with 'tables'-with-a-lower-case-T, our generic term for data sets organized into rows and columns, Tables-with-a-capital-T are a specific Excel feature. Let's get in and have a look at what they can do!

How to Organize the data

Before we set to create a Table, we will need to make sure that our source data set is formatted properly. Here are the main requirements that we will be looking at before we dive in: Our source data must:
  • Be structured in row-column format, with each row containing information on one line-item which is directly comparable to all other the line-items.
  • Have a unique, easily understood heading for each data-column.
  • Avoid blank rows in between the data lines (e.g., be one cohesive table with no gaps or inconsistencies).
  • Have columns that contain data types that are similar (e.g., each column should describe one property of data that is directly comparable across the entire column)
  • Not contain any subtotal or total rows. Each line shall be a comparable piece of data, not just a summary line or total.
Now one our source data set meets all of the above criteria, so, once we have double-checked to ensure that everything is ready to go, we can get start creating our table.

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