"PivotTable" report - Grouping Text Fields in Microsoft Excel 2010

"Pivot Table Report" is a great feature of Excel that allows the users to make customization in report as per their requirement. If you are already using pivot table grouping by numbers or date but you want to learn how to group by text fields then this article is for you.

To use text fields as a group you need to first create pivot table report.

Let us take an example:

• We have fruits data and we are going to create pivot table report on the same

• To make group in text fields, if you click on any fruits in rows field (column A) then Excel will give an error stating cannot group that selection

• To avoid this error, you need to select more than one item in column A using CTRL button in keyboard
• If you want to make a group of Grape & Guava then you need to select both of them & right click, and then select Group option

• You will be able to differentiate the grape & guava among rest of the fruits
• You will see the new group is automatically created with name Fruits2 in Rows field

• If you do not want to view by grouping then you may uncheck the Fruits2 in PivotTable Fields or click on Group1 in Pivot table report & right click and select ungroup

Conclusion: In Microsoft Excel, you can group a field that is a date, a time, or a number. With text group we can create groups to identify the similar groups in a single field.