Difference Between Pivot Table and Pivot Chart in Excel

Sometimes to create a summary of data using Excel, you may need to use a Pivot Table. In addition, sometimes for data visualization, you may need to use a Pivot Chart. Apart from this, you must know the difference between Pivot Table & Pivot Chart in Excel. In this article, I will explain the difference between a Pivot Table and a Pivot Chart in Excel.

What Are Pivot Table and Pivot Chart?

A Pivot Table is a functional table that represents the summary of data collection. On the other hand, a Pivot Chart is the visual presentation of the pivot table. So, you can say, this is the basic difference between a pivot table and a pivot chart in Excel. Besides, an example is given below. In where the B12:D17 range represents a pivot table and the corresponding pivot chart is exactly below the pivot table.

How to Create a Pivot Table

In this section, I will describe how to create a pivot table. In addition, by creating pivot table and pivot chart, you can easily understand the difference between a pivot table and a pivot chart in Excel.

Now, let’s start the making of the pivot table first. You can make the pivot table not only from the internal data source but also from the external data source. Besides, you can make the pivot table both from a given table or from a given data range. Here, I will show the easiest steps to create a pivot table. Let’s have the following sample data set.

The steps are given below.

Steps:

Firstly, you must select the range. Here, I have selected the range B4:D10.
Secondly, from the Insert tab >> choose Pivot Table.
Thirdly, you need to select From Table/Range.

Subsequently, a dialog box named PivotTable from table or range will appear.

Firstly, select the range for your PivotTable. Which will be auto-selected here.
Secondly, choose Existing Worksheet.
Thirdly, select the Location for PivotTable. Here, I have selected the B12 cell.
Finally, press OK to get the pivot table.

At this time, you will see the following situation.

Now, in PivotTable Fields, you have to drag Product to Rows.

Similarly, you need to drag Sales and Profit to the Values.

Finally, your PivotTable is done.

Lastly, you can see the created pivot table.

Use of Pivot Table in Excel

There are so many uses of a pivot table. Actually, the pivot table, itself is the summarized form of data. The uses are given below.

- - - - You can sort or filter your data to find out any targeted values.
      - Also, you can do so many mathematical operations on your data. Such as summation, average, max, min, deviation, product, and so on.
      - Furthermore, you can do grouping and conditions formatting to some selected data for focusing on that particular data.
      - In addition, you can present the annotated printed or online copies.
      - Moreover, you can also change the rows to columns or columns to rows.

Here, I have shown the numerical use of the pivot table by changing the function from Sum of Sales to Average of Sales and Sum of Profit to Max of Profit.

Steps:

Firstly, from PivotTable Fields >> Click on Sum of Sales.
Secondly, you must choose Value Field Settings from the Context Menu bar.

At this time, you will see the following dialog box named Value Field Settings.

Now, from Summarize value field by option >> select your targeted operation. Here, I have selected Average.
Then, you need to click on OK to see the changes.

As a result, you can see the following changes.

Similarly, by changing the operation of Profit from Sum to Max, you will get the final result. Which is given below.

How to Make a Pivot Chart

To make a pivot chart in Excel, you can use the PivotChart feature. The steps are given below.

Steps:

Firstly, you have to select the data range with which you want to make a pivot chart. Here, I have selected the range B4:D10.
Secondly, you must go to the Insert tab.
Thirdly, from PivotChart >> you need to choose PivotChart.

Now, a dialog box named Create PivotChart will appear.

From the dialog box firstly, you have to select Table/Range, which will be auto-selected here.
Secondly, you may click on the Existing Worksheet under the choose where you want the PivotChart to be placed option.
Thirdly, you have to choose the Location. Here, I have chosen the new Location as B12 cell.
Finally, you must click on OK to get the changes.

At this time, you will see the following situation.

Now, in PivotChart Fields, you have to drag Product to Axis (Categories).

Similarly, drag Sales and Profit to the Values.

Finally, your PivotChart is done.

You will see that the corresponding PivotTable will be also auto-generated.

Furthermore, you can change the style and color of the pivot chart by clicking on the brush icon.

Lastly, you will see the following formatted result.

Use of Pivot Chart in Excel

There are so many uses of a pivot chart. Actually, the pivot chart is the visual or graphical representation of a pivot table. So, the pivot chart has the same functional values as the pivot table. The uses are given below.

- - - - You can sort or filter your data to see the graphical presentation of any targeted values.
      - Also, you can do so many mathematical operations on your data using the PivotChart Fields feature. Such as summation, average, max, min, deviation, product, and so on.
      - Moreover, you can use the pivot chart as a normal standard chart.

Here, I have shown the filter effect on the pivot chart.

Steps:

Firstly, from PivotChart Fields >> Drag the Profit to Filters.

Now, you have to click on the Profit icon. Which is situated on the chart.

Firstly, you must click on (All) to unselect all values.
Secondly, select the target value. Besides, you may select multiple items also. Here, I have selected $1750.
Finally, you need to press OK.

As, Profit $1750 was the value of Muffin, so you will see the following filtered output.