Previously, we've looked at the pivot table summary functions:  Count, Average, Min and Max and Product. In this article we'll look at the StdDev and StdDevp summary functions.

StdDev Function and StdDevp Function

Like the STDEV.P and STDEV.S worksheet functions, the StdDev and StdDevp summary functions calculate the standard deviation for the underlying data in the Values area, and is the square root of the variance. Like the variance, standard deviation is a measure of how widely the values vary from the average of the values.

The StdDevp summary function is used when the entire population is used in the calculation. If a sample of the data is used, instead of the entire population, then use the StdDev summary function.

STDEV.P Worksheet Function

Shown below is the pivot table source data, and the STDEV.P worksheet function is calculating the standard deviation for each product type. There is a large difference between the quantities of file folders sold, and the standard deviation is 44.5. For the paper sales, the difference in quantity is much smaller, and the standard deviation is only 4.71.

Pivot Table StdDevp Summary Function

To use the StdDevp summary function, when the Qty field is added to the pivot table, change the summary calculation to StdDevp.

The standard deviations shown in the pivot table are the same as those that were calculated on the worksheet.

Note: If the count of items is one, a #DIV/0! error is displayed when using the StdDev summary function, because one is subtracted from the count when calculating the standard deviation.

How the Standard Deviation is calculated

In the standard deviation, each number is compared to the mean of the numbers. If you were to calculate the standard deviation on the worksheet, without the STDEV.P function, here's how you would do it.

1. Find the average of the numbers in the pivot table data.
2. From each number, subtract the average.
3. Square the calculated difference for each number
4. Find the average of the squared difference.
5. Find the square root of the average.

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Previously, we've looked at the pivot table summary functions:  Count, Average, Min and Max and Product. In this article we'll look at the Var and Varp summary functions.

Var Function and Varp Function

Like the VAR.P and VAR.S worksheet functions, the Var and Varp summary functions calculate the variance for the underlying data in the Values area, and is the square of the standard deviation. Like the standard deviation, variance is a measure of how widely the values vary from the average of the values.

The VarP summary function is used when the entire population is used in the calculation. If a sample of the data is used, instead of the entire population, then use the Var summary function.

VAR.P Worksheet Function

Shown below is the pivot table source data, and the VAR.P worksheet function is calculating the variance for each product type. There is a large difference between the quantities of file folders sold, and the variance is 1980.25. For the paper sales, the difference in quantity is much smaller, and the variance is only 22.22.

Pivot Table Varp Summary Function

To use the Varp summary function, when the Qty field is added to the pivot table, change the summary calculation to Varp.

The variances shown in the pivot table are the same as those that were calculated on the worksheet.

Note: If the count of items is one, a #DIV/0! error is displayed when using the Var summary function, because one is subtracted from the count when calculating the variance.

How the Variance is calculated

In the variance, each number is compared to the mean of the numbers. If you were to calculate the variance on the worksheet, without the VAR.P function, here's how you would do it.

1. Find the average of the numbers in the pivot table data.
2. From each number, subtract the average.
3. Square the calculated difference for each number
4. Find the average of the squared difference.

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In some workbooks, you might want to allow users to make changes to a pivot table, but you need to protect formulas or data in other areas of the worksheet.

If you protect the worksheet and enable pivot table use, users will be able to modify the pivot table, but won’t have access to other locked parts of the worksheet.

Prepare the Worksheet

The first step is to unlock cells where changes can be made. Then, turn on the worksheet protection.

1. Select any cells in which users are allowed to make changes. In this example, users can make changes to cell E2.
2. On the Ribbon, click the Home tab.
3. In the Cells group, click Format. If the Lock Cell command is enabled, click Lock Cell to unlock the selected cell.

Protect the Worksheet

Next, protect the worksheet:

1. On the Ribbon, click the Review tab, and in the Changes section, click Protect Sheet.
2. If desired, enter a password.
3. Add a check mark to Use PivotTable reports, and check any other items you want enabled on the protected worksheet.
4. Click OK and confirm the password, if you entered one.

Test the Worksheet

Because the worksheet is protected, and Use PivotTable Reports was selected, users will be able to make changes to the pivot table. For example, they will be able to move fields, add fields, and use the drop-down lists.

However, some pivot table features won’t be available while the worksheet is protected, including:

• Refresh
• Group and Ungroup
• Report Layout
• Calculated Field

Other pivot tables, based on the same Excel Table as the pivot tables on a protected sheet, will have some features disabled, such as Refresh.

Tip: To refresh a pivot table on a protected sheet, temporarily unprotect the worksheet, refresh the pivot table, and then protect the sheet.

Watch the Video

In this short video, you can see the step by step instructions for preparing and protecting the worksheet.

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For more information on Pivot Tables, please visit Pivot Table Topics index on the Contextures Website.

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In some workbooks, you might want to prevent users from making any changes to a pivot table. You want them to see the pivot table, but not change it. However, users might need to make changes to data in other areas of the worksheet.

If you protect the worksheet without enabling pivot table use, users won’t be able to modify the pivot table, but will have access to other unlocked parts of the worksheet.

Prepare the Worksheet

The first step is to unlock cells where changes can be made. Then, turn on the worksheet protection.

1. Select any cells in which users are allowed to make changes. In this example, users can make changes to cell E2.
2. On the Ribbon, click the Home tab.
3. In the Cells group, click Format. If the Lock Cell command is enabled, click Lock Cell to unlock the selected cell.

Protect the Worksheet

Next, protect the worksheet:

1. On the Ribbon, click the Review tab, and in the Changes section, click Protect Sheet.
2. If desired, enter a password.
3. Remove the check mark for Use PivotTable reports, and check any other items you want enabled on the protected worksheet.
4. Click OK and confirm the password, if you entered one.

Test the Worksheet

Because the worksheet is protected, and Use PivotTable Reports was not selected, users won’t be able to make changes to the pivot table, and the field list will be hidden.

NOTE: Other pivot tables, based on the same Excel Table as the pivot tables on a protected sheet, will have some features disabled, such as Refresh.

Tip: To refresh a pivot table on a protected sheet, temporarily unprotect the worksheet, refresh the pivot table, and then protect the sheet.

Watch the Video

In this short video, you can see the step by step instructions for preparing and protecting the worksheet.

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For more information on Pivot Tables, please visit Pivot Table Topics index on the Contextures Website.

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When you add multiple fields to the row or column area, the outer fields automatically get subtotals. For example, in this pivot table, Region and Employee are the outer fields, and a Total row was added for each item.

Sometimes these subtotals are useful, but in other pivot tables you might want to stop them from appearing.

Manually Turn Off the Subtotals

Unfortunately, here’s no setting you can change to stop the subtotals from automatically appearing for outer row and column fields. However, you can manually turn them off after they appear:

1. Double-click the field button.

2. For Subtotals, select None, then click OK.

Programmatically Turn Off the Subtotals

If you frequently turn off the subtotals, you might find it easier to use a macro to do the work for you. You can create your own code, or download a copy of my free Pivot Table add-in, Pivot Power.

It has commands to show or hide the Row, Column, or all Subtotals in a pivot table.

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If you’ve used calculated items and calculated fields in your pivot table, you can automatically create a list of all the formulas.

List the Formulas in Excel 2007

1. Select any cell in the pivot table.
2. On the Ribbon, under the PivotTable Tools tab, click the Options tab.
3. In the Tools group, click Formulas
4. Click  List Formulas.

A new sheet is inserted in the workbook, with a list of the calculated fields and a list of the calculated items.

List the Formulas in Excel 2003

1. Select any cell in the pivot table.
2. On the Pivot toolbar, click PivotTable.
3. Click Formulas, then click  List Formulas.

A new sheet is inserted in the workbook, with a list of the calculated fields and calculated items (see the Excel 2007 example above).

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For more information on pivot tables, see the Pivot Tables on my Contextures web site.

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If there are blank cells in one of the fields in your source data, you might want to show a count of the blank cells in the pivot table. In this example there's a Region field in the source data, and some of the records have no region name entered. In the pivot table, you'd like to see a count of how many records are missing a region name.

To find the count, you might add the Region field to the pivot table’s row area, and put another copy of the Region field in the data area, as Count of Region.This seems logical, but there’s no count showing for the blank regions.

Count a Different Field

A pivot table can’t count the blank cells when you add a field to the data area and use the Count or CountNum summary function. That's why no count appears beside the (blank) region in the screen shot above.

Instead, put a different field in the data area, and use it for the count. For example, if the Units field will always contain data, add Count of Units to the data area, as shown below. The count of blank Regions is now calculated, and you can see that three records are missing a region name.

Usually, when you add a field to the Values area in a pivot table, it automatically uses the Sum function. Sometimes though, a field automatically uses the Count function. You might not understand why different functions are used for two fields that contain similar data.

• If there are blank cells, or non-numeric data in the field, the Count function is used as a default.
• For fields that contain all numeric data, the Sum function is the default.

You can’t set a default summary function in a pivot table. However, after the field has been added to the Values area, you can change its summary function:

1. Right-click a cell in the field that you want to change, and choose Field Settings.
2. In the Summarize by list, select one of the functions.
3. Click OK to close the PivotTable Field dialog box.

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For more information on pivot tables, see the Pivot Table Topics on my Contextures web site.

When you create a pivot table in Excel 2007, a PivotTable Style is automatically applied. You always select a different PivotTable Style, so you'd like to change the default PivotTable Style, to save time when you create new pivot tables.

Follow these steps to change the default PivotTable Style:

1. Select a cell in the pivot table.
2. On the Ribbon, under the PivotTable Tools tab, click the Design tab.
3. In the PivotTable Style gallery, right-click on the style that you want to set as the default.
4. In the context menu, click on Set As Default.

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For more information on pivot tables, see the Pivot Table Topics on my Contextures web site.