Select data in a PivotTable report

When you apply formatting or change calculated item formulas in a PivotTable report, you can select either individual cells or sections of the report. Changes you make to sections apply to the elements in the report, and remain in effect when you change the layout or view.

To select cells, use the regular Microsoft Excel selection pointer Excel selection cursor. To select sections of the report, position the mouse pointer at the tops or left sides of field buttons and item labels so that it changes to Down arrow or Right arrow . If you don't see the pointer change shape, click PivotTable on the PivotTable toolbar, point to Select, and make sure Enable Selection is turned on.

You can select the following:

Individual cells

  1. Point to the first cell you want to select, making sure the pointer is Excel selection cursor.
  2. Click to select a single cell, or click and drag to select multiple cells.

An entire report

  1. Click the report.

  2. Click PivotTable on the PivotTable toolbar.

  3. Point to Select, and click Entire Table.

All items in a field

Point to the top edge of the field button until the pointer changes to Down arrow, and then click.

Example of selecting all items in a PivotTable field

Point to the top of the Region button and then click once to select the East and West items.

Item labels, data, or both

  1. Select the items.

  2. Click PivotTable on the PivotTable toolbar.

  3. Point to Select, and then click what you want to select:

    Label to select only the item labels.

    Data to select only the data for the items.

    Label and Data to select both.

All instances of a single item

Point to the top edge of a column field item until the pointer changes to Down arrow, or the left edge of a row field item until the pointer changes to Right arrow, and then click.

Example of selecting all instances of a PivotTable item

Clicking the left edge of Golf selects both rows for Golf.

One instance of an item

  1. Point to the top edge of a column field item until the pointer changes to Down arrow, or the left edge of a row field item until the pointer changes to Right arrow.

  2. Click once, and then click additional times, waiting between clicks so that you do not double-click.

Example of selecting one instance of an item in a PivotTable report

Click the left edge of Golf, then click again to select only the row for Qtr1 Golf.

If a PivotTable report has several row fields, click repeatedly until you've selected only the items you want. For example, to select a single instance of an item in the innermost of four row fields, you would click four times.

Multiple items

  1. Point to the top edge of a column field item until the pointer changes to Down arrow, or the left edge of a row field item until the pointer changes to Right arrow.

  2. Click as many times as necessary to select one of the items you want (see "One instance of an item" above).

  3. Hold down SHIFT and click, or hold down CTRL and click to select additional items within the same field.

  4. To cancel selection of an item, hold down CTRL and click the item.

Totals and grand totals

  1. Point to the top edge of a total in a column field until the pointer changes to Down arrow, or the left edge of a total in a row field until the pointer changes to Right arrow.
  2. Click once to select all totals for the field, then click again to select only the current total.