During the process of creating a pivot table, you can specify the layout of your data, or you can create an empty pivot table frame with no data. If you create an empty table frame, you can add data to the table by dropping and dragging column headings onto the frame.

To create a pivot table frame, you should invoke the PivotTable and PivotChart Report wizard, by choosing Data->PivotTable and PivotChart Report from the menu bar.

You should notice that you can use this first stage of the PivotTable wizard to select data from an Excel list or database, from an external data source, or from multiple consolidation ranges. If you choose the Excel list or database option, the pivot table will be based on the Excel list or data base you select. You can select a list or database by clicking on a cell within the list before starting the PivotTable wizard, or by specifying a range with the keyboard or mouse at a later stage of the wizard.

If you choose the External data source option, you can base your PivotTable on data outside your current workbook, (i.e. another workbook, or perhaps an external database).

The Multiple consolidation ranges option allows you to select different data ranges from multiple worksheets within the same workbook.

There are also radio buttons to specify a PivotChart or a PivotTable. Since we want to create a PivotTable frame, the default Excel list or database, and PivotTable options have been selected.

In the next stage of the wizard, you select the range of data to be used for your PivotTable.

You can enter the range directly with the keyboard, or select it with the mouse. If you clicked on a cell in the data list before you started the PivotTable wizard, the range of contiguous cells that make up the list you clicked in will already be entered in the range text field.

You should always make sure that the column headings are included in the selected range.

In the final stage of the wizard, you can choose to locate the PivotTable in an Existing worksheet, or a new worksheet. If you choose to locate it in an Existing worksheet, you can specify the upper left cell for the PivotTable by entering it directly into the available data field, or by clicking the cell you want.

If you choose the new worksheet option, your PivotTable will be located in the upper let corner of a new worksheet that will be added to your workbook.

You will notice that a layout button is available at this stage of the wizard. You can click this layout button to specify the layout of the data in your table before the table is created. To create an empty table frame click the finish button.

Note: you can move backward through the wizard at any stage with the back button. you van also abandon the process at any stage by clicking the cancel button.

Here you can see an empty pivot table frame enhanced with blue borders. Below it, you can see a PivotTable Field List, and a PivotTable tool bar.

(The pivot table toolbar should appear when you create a pivot table, if you loose it, it is available by choosing View->Toolbars from the menu bar.)

You can easily add any of the data available in the PivotTable Field List to your PivotTable by dragging it to the table with your mouse.