Data Tables and Pivot Tables

in MS Excel
Decision Models and Uncertainty
Prabhu Aggarwal
Data Tables in MS Excel

Prabhu Aggarwal
 Data Tables
• Data tables are a useful method of
displaying a formula on a spreadsheet
for varying input values
• Can be either 1 variable or 2 variable
input tables
 Example
• Consider the following data on a mortgage:
– Purchase Price: $250,000
– Interest Rate: 10% Annually
– Term: 240 Months
– Down Payment: 10%
• Calculate monthly payments for above case
• Create a One-Variable Table using interest
rate as variable (6% to 14%) and the output
should be monthly payments
 Step 1
• Setup a spreadsheet to
first calculate the
monthly payment for a
given scenario. In the
fig below, cell D13 is
the monthly payment
amount and we use the
PMT function
 Step 2
To build a 1 variable table
Do the following:

1. Put desired input values in

a column (see fig:
C17:C25)
2. In next column (column D)
entire desired formula in
header cell (D16).
Therefore you will enter
=D13 in cell D16
3. Select Table (C16:D25)
and choose Data Table
from menu …
 Step 3
• After selecting Data
Table enter the cell
reference to your input
(in this case interest
rate) in column input
cell. Interest rate is in
D17.
• Use Column as input
values are in column
format
• Choose OK
 Step 4
• The desired result is
as shown
• You can format your
tables by adding
background and
borders
 Two Variable Data Table
• Suppose we wish to vary two inputs and
calculate a desired value
• Example
– Interest rate varies from 6% to 12% in
increments of 2%
– Number of months varies from 120 to 360
in increments of 60 months
• We will setup a two-variable data table
 Step 1
• For the same spreadsheet
setup a table with interest rates
in a row(C17:F17 ) and number
of months in a column (cells
B18:B21 )
• Enter desired formula (=D13) in
cell B17
• Whatever you put in B17 is what
will populate the two-variable
table
• Select table (B17:F21) and then
Data Table from Menu …
 Step 2
• Enter cell reference
(D11) to interest rate
in Row input cell
and cell reference
(D12) to months in
Column input cell
• Select OK
 Step 3
• Desired result
follows
• Again format table
as desired
• Note: You can
change any of the
inputs (cells D9 to
D12) and the table
will be updated
 Pivot Tables
• Pivot tables are a useful method of
Extracting / displaying information from
a list / database in Excel
 Example
• Consider the bankers case
• Database contains:
Date Amount AcctType OpenedBy Branch Customer

• 350 Records in the field

 Questions
• What is the total deposit amount for each branch,
broken down by account type?
• How many accounts were opened at each branch,
broken down by account type?
• What is the $ distribution among the various account
types?
• Do tellers have a propensity to open a particular type
of account? How about New Account Reps?
• How is the central branch doing when compared to the
other branches?
• Is there a branch that is bringing in more “new”
business?
 What is the total deposit amount for each
branch, broken down by account type?

• Create a pivot table by going to data -

pivot table and entering the wizard
• Choose the entire list as the database
source
• In Layout, select branch into row,
account type into column and Amount
into Data
• You should get the following:
 Pivot Table:

Let’s try some others