Description

PivotTables: Structuring Data, Analysing and Refreshing

Three hours to move from an endless raw export to a management summary that fits on one screen

  • 0.43 days — 3 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Foundation
  • Up to 6 participants

The export from your business system arrives as raw rows. To obtain a total by branch or by product family, the instinct is to sort, copy and add up by hand. The totals never come out the same twice, no one can rebuild a colleague's file, and the whole exercise starts again the following month.

These 3 hours take each participant from the raw export to an analysis that updates itself. You correct what prevents cross-tabulation, build your tables, answer precise management questions, then refresh your analysis once new rows have been added.

Learning objectives

  • Prepare a data set that meets the requirements of a PivotTable
  • Build a PivotTable by allocating fields between rows, columns and values
  • Change the summary function and the display format of results
  • Filter and slice an analysis using several criteria
  • Refresh a table after the source data has been updated

What makes this programme different

An analysis built during the session on an export brought in by the participant
Correction of the data set flaws that prevent reliable cross-tabulation
A table you refresh instead of rebuilding every month

Programme

1A Usable Data Set

Half the work happens beforehand

  • Expected structure: one row per record
  • Identifying merged cells and blank rows
  • Consistency of date and number formats
  • Cleaning labels and removing duplicates

2Building the Analysis

Cross-tabulate to answer a question

  • Allocating fields to rows, columns and values
  • Choosing the summary function applied
  • Grouping by period or by band
  • Displaying results as a percentage of a total
  • Sorting and highlighting variances

3Filters, Presentation and Refreshing

Keeping the table alive

  • Filters and slicers shared across several tables
  • Positioning subtotals and applying formatting
  • Extending the source range to new rows
  • Refreshing and checking the consistency of totals
  • Chart linked to the PivotTable

Who is it for

Administrative staff, officers, accountants and department heads who regularly work with data exports.

Prerequisites

Ability to enter data and navigate within a spreadsheet.

Dates & locations

12 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.