If your pivot table is based on an Excel list, and you probably add records to the existing source data table. You'd like the source data range to automatically expand to include any new rows and columns. You don't want to manually change the pivot table range every time you add new data.

Create a Dynamic Range

If you frequently add new data to the pivot table source data, you can use a dynamic range, which will automatically expand to include the new rows and columns. Follow these steps to create a dynamic range:

1. Select the top-left cell in the source table. This step isn’t necessary, but helps you by inserting the cell reference in the name definition.
2. Choose Insert | Name | Define.
3. In the Names in workbook box, type a name for the dynamic range, for example, PivotData.
4. In the Refers to box, type an OFFSET formula that refers to the selected cell. For example, with cell A1 selected on a worksheet named Pivot, you’d type (all on one line)
   =OFFSET(Pivot!$A$1,0,0,
   COUNTA(Pivot!$A:$A),
   COUNTA(Pivot!$1:$1))
5. Click the OK button.

Change the Pivot Table Source

Then, change the pivot table’s source to the dynamic range that you created:

1. Right-click a cell in the pivot table.
2. On the shortcut menu, click PivotTable Wizard.
3. Click the Back button.
4. In the Range box, type the name of the dynamic range, and click Finish.

Note

This technique will not work if there are other items in row 1 or column A of the Pivot worksheet. Those items would be included in the count, and would falsely increase the size of the source range.