To format a PivotTable, first click on any cell in the table and then display the PivotTable drop list on the PivotTable toolbar. From the drop list choose Select->Enable Selection.

 

This should already be selected by default. If this option is not selected, you will not be able to select ranges of cells from your PivotTable.

 

Next, you should choose Table Options from the PivotTable drop list. This will display the PivotTable Options dialogue box.

 

 

 

 

Make sure the Preserve formatting checkbox is checked (it should be by default).

 

If this is left unchecked, and the Enable Selections option is not activated, any formatting you apply will not be retained if the table is modified or refreshed.

 

Click OK when you are finished with the options dialogue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To Format your table, you can select a range of cells from the table and use the buttons on the formatting toolbar to format the selected range. Another method is to select a range of cells from the table, right click in the selected range, and choose Format Cells from the drop down menu. You can then choose from a series of tabs in the format cells dialogue box that will let you select number formats, Font styles, Borders, and protection options.

 

 

You can also click a cell in the data area of the table, and click the Field settings button on the PivotTable toolbar (you can also right click on the data area and select Field Settings from the drop down menu). These actions will display the PivotTable field dialogue box.

 

 

 

 

When you see this dialogue box, click the Number button to view the number format options.

 

 

 

 

Here, you can select a number format from the list, and click OK to return to the PivotTable field dialogue box. Click OK again to apply the formatting.

 

This will format the entire data area of the PivotTable with the chosen number format.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a sample pivot table with the Accounting number format applied to the data area. Notice also, that the words North and Northeast in the column area of the table have been formatted in bold, by using the formatting toolbar buttons.

 

Another option for quickly formatting your PivotTable is to use the format report button on the PivotTable toolbar.

 

 

Just click any cell in the PivotTable, and then click the format report button on the PivotTable toolbar. Excel will then highlight your PivotTable in blue, and display an AutoFormat dialogue box.

 

 

You can now click on a preview format to select it, and click the OK button to apply the chosen format to the selected PivotTable.