How to Analyze Point-of-Sale Data with an Excel Pivot Table

Advantages of Pivot Tables

Advantages of Pivot Tables

This is the first in a series of tutorials that I am creating in partnership with Tri-Technical Systems – a leading provider of Point-of-sale (POS) Systems. In this video lesson, I use an Excel Pivot Table to present the information that I require from a standard “Inventory by Location” report.

Point-of-Sale Reports

Most POS Systems allow you to print out standard reports – compact, professionally formatted “snapshots” of your inventory status, sales data and customer information. Likewise, most POS Systems will allow you to easily export the data behind these reports to Excel – where you can analyze or “number crunch” the data.

Advantages of Pivot Tables

  • Pivot Tables combine the best elements of Subtotals, Outlines and Filtered Reports.
  • With a Pivot Table, you select only the Fields that you wish to focus on.
  • You can quickly reposition any field on your Pivot Table – e.g. change it from a Vertical to a Horizontal position.
  • Pivot Tables allow you to easily add multiple summaries – e.g. Sum, Average, Percentage of Total, etc. without writing a Formula!
  • It is impossible to harm your underlying data when you work with a Pivot Table because you are working with a “virtual snapshot” of your data. You cannot directly change any value in a Pivot Table Report!

Learn More About Pivot Tables

Pivot Tables are easy to learn. However, it does take practice if you want to really tap into the analytical power of  a Pivot Table Report. Fortunately, I have a great resource for you – a 90 minute focused video tutorial on Pivot Tables. Follow this link to go to the information page for my Excel 2010 Pivot Table DVD-ROM. I have also created Pivot Table videos for Excel 2007 and Excel 2003.

Watch Tutorial in High Definition

You can watch this Excel Tutorial in High Definition on my YouTube Channel – DannyRocksExcels

View My Video Now

 

Still Using Excel 2003? Download My Video Tutorial Pivot Tables 2003 to Summarize, Analyze and Present Data

Video Tutorial for Excel 2003 Pivot Tables

Excel 2003 PivotTables Video

By popular demand, I have created an “Extended Length” ( 69 minutes) video tutorial in Excel 2003 that you can download – for US$9.95  “Create Pivot Tables in Excel 2003 toe Summarize, Analyze and Present the Information in Your Data.”

Quite a few of my customers and viewers are still using Excel 2003. Are you one of them? If so, this is welcome news for you! If you can even find a video tutorial for Excel 2003, chances are it was created “ages ago.” I incorporate current video technology to view online or to download  69 minute video tutorial that will teach you everything that you need to know to create, modify and present a PivotTable or PivotChart Report using Excel 2003.

What You Will Learn from this Video Recording

Here are the topics that I cover – each as an individual chapter on the recording:

  • Creating a PivotTable in Excel 2003
  • Filtering and Sorting Fields in an Excel 2003 Pivot Table
  • Refreshing your PivotTable; Changing the Source Data for your Excel 2003 PivotTable
  • Changing the Functions and Type of Calculations in your Excel 2003 PivotTable
  • Creating a Calculated Field in an Excel 2003 PivotTable
  • Grouping an Excel 2003 PivotTable Field (e.g. Month, Quarter, Year from a series of Daily Transactional Data)
  • Creating and Modifying and Excel 2003 PivotChart

Skip to Individual Chapters on the Video Recording

If you have ever purchased a recording of a “live” Excel Webinar, you know that one frustration is: “How do I get to the specific part of the recording that I want to learn or repeat?”

The last thing that I want you to worry about is “getting stuck” with watching my video recording from start to finish! NO! NO! NO!

That is why I recorded this video webinar with you in mind – I created an easy to follow Table of Contents on the recording so tht you can skip to or repeat an indivual chapter or starting point!

I am confident that you will enjoy this feature!

How to Get Started

  1. Go to http://thecompanyrocks.webex.com and click on “Recorded Sessions” to see the list of all of my Recorded Video Lessons on WebEx by Cisco.
  2. Click on this link to open the Video Recording, “Excel 2003 Pivot Tables to Summarize and Analyze Data”
  3. Register for this recording (First Name, Last Name and email address) so that I can assist you quickly if you need help with downloading the recording or accessing the support materials.
  4. Enter your payment information US$9.95 using PayPal or a Credit Card – This is a SECURE WEBSITE.
  5. Download this video recording. I recommend that you: 
    1. Download the WebEx by Cisco ARF Recorder/ Player. Once you have opend the Video Recording, you can convert it to a different format (e.g. WMV (Windows Media), SWF (Flash Format) or MPEG4 (MP4 Format)
    2. Save the File to a Folder on your hard disk drive.
  6. Watch the video recording.

Download the Support Material for this Video Recording

Here is a link to the web page that I created for this video recording. Follow the hyperlinks to view online or download the Excel Workbook that I used in this recording as well as the Step-by-Step Instructional Manual that accompanies this recording.

Give Me Your Feedback

As I develop these “Extended Length” video recordings, I seek your feedback. Tell me what you liked. Tell me what you did not like – any why. Send me your suggestions for future topics for my video tutorial recordings.