Using the Excel database features

Objectives:
• Sorting data
• Filtering data
• Using Subtotals
• Pivot Tables

CS&E 101 ExData

 A Database vs. a Spreadsheet
Use a Database for: Use a Spreadsheet for:
● Large amounts of ● Small to medium
data amounts of data
● Multiple tables of ● 1-3 Tables of related
related information information
● Complex querying ● Simple sorting, filtering,
(multidimensional) and subtotaling

Often analysts use both tools to solve a problem, keeping track

of data in a database application and copying the relevant
information for further analysis in Excel

CS&E 101 ExData

Excel Provides up to 3 Levels of Data Sorting
Use the toolbar
buttons to Sort a Sort by customer & quantity
single field snack QTY customer
potato chips 12 ab foods
Use the Data/Sort menu to cheese puffs 10 ab foods
sort by up to 3 fields nuts 15 nt foods
cheese puffs 9 nt foods
potato chips 5 nt foods
pretzels 4 nt foods
potato chips 30 xy foods
pretzels 11 xy foods
potato chips 8 xy foods
cheese puffs 5 xy foods
nuts 5 xy foods

CS&E 101 ExData

 Excel’s Autofilter tool allows the user to
specify criteria in multiple fields
•Select from Menu - Data Filter – Autofilter
•Each field can have a Customized Filter
•Filters in multiple fields acts like an AND
Snack Qty Customer
potato chips 12 ab foods
potato chips 5 nt foods
potato chips 5 xy foods
potato chips 8 xy foods
potato chips 30 xy foods

CS&E 101 ExData

 Advanced Filters allow the user to create OR
relationships in multiple fields or to vary criteria
based on calculations
•Select from Menu - Data Filter – Advanced Filter
•Setup your filter range and input the criteria. Criteria in the
same row acts as AND, criteria on adjacent rows acts as OR

Snack Qty Customer

potato chips
nt foods

Snack Qty Customer

potato chips 12 ab foods
pretzels 5 nt foods
potato chips 5 xy foods
potato chips 30 xy foods

CS&E 101 ExData

 Excel can automatically create Sub-Groups
– to perform sums, counts, averages etc

1. Sort by your Group field

• Select Data/Subtotals
menu
• Choose your Group field
• Select a function
• Select a Subtotal field
• Click OK to calculate
• Repeat the procedure to
calculate a 2nd aggregate
function

CS&E 101 ExData

Data-Subtotals are available in 3 Levels

CS&E 101 ExData

Pivot Table, a Multidimensional Summary
● Select Data – Pivot Table and PivotChart Report
from the menu to run the Pivot Table Wizard
● Select Microsoft Excel
list or database and
Pivot Table
● Specify data range –
including titles
● Select the Layout
button to specify your
columns rows and
table data

CS&E 101 ExData

 The Resulting Pivot Table
Data summarized by snack by customer:
sum qty customer
snack ab foods nt foods xy foods Grand Total
cheese puffs 10 9 5 24
nuts 0 15 5 20
potato chips 12 5 43 60
pretzels 0 4 11 15
Grand Total 22 33 64 119

•Data can also be displayed as a Pivot chart.

•Both Pivot tables and charts can be used in Excel and in Access.
•If the data is later modified, the button to update the
values

CS&E 101 ExData