How to Make a Pivot Table in Google Sheets (2026)

You've got a long spreadsheet of orders, enquiries or bookings, and one question: who brought in the most, which month was busiest, which product keeps coming back? Scrolling and counting by hand is slow and easy to get wrong. A pivot table answers that sort of question in a few clicks, and it doesn't touch your original data.

Here's how to build one, following Google's own help pages, plus the tweaks I'd make straight away so the result is readable.

Getting your data ready before you make a pivot table

Google is clear about one rule: each column in your source data needs a header. If a column has no heading, the pivot table has nothing to call it. Before you start, check that every column has a short name at the top and that there are no blank columns splitting the data in half.

• One row per thing: one order, one enquiry, one booking.
• One heading per column, such as Date, Customer, Product, Hours.
• No subtotal rows mixed into the data. Let the pivot table do the adding up.

Making a pivot table in Google Sheets on a computer

These steps follow the computer version of Google's page, so menus on a phone or tablet may differ.

1. Open your spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
2. Select the cells that hold your source data, headers included.
3. Click Insert in the top menu, then choose Pivot table.
4. Pick where to put it. Google's page says to select the new pivot table sheet if it isn't already open.
5. In the side panel, next to Rows, click Add and choose a field, for example Customer.
6. Next to Values, click Add and choose the field you want summarised, for example Hours or Orders.

That's the basic recipe: rows say what you're grouping by, values say what you're counting or adding up. Use Columns as well when you want a second grouping across the top, such as months.

Using the suggested pivot tables in Google Sheets

Sometimes Sheets offers ready-made layouts. Google says that when suggestions appear, you can pick one under Suggested, and high-confidence suggestions get inserted automatically. If that surprises you, you can switch it off: go to Tools, then Suggestion controls, and turn off Enable Pivot table suggestions.

Changing how a pivot table in Google Sheets summarises and sorts

Click the down arrow next to a field and you can change how the data is listed, sorted, summarised or filtered. A few things I'd do on almost every table:

• Turn on Show totals under Rows or Columns if you want a total at the end. Google's customisation page lists it as a checkbox.
• Reorder rows or columns by dragging a header. The editor then lists that order as Custom.
• Rename a header by clicking it and typing, though Google notes that Grand Total can't be renamed.
• Under Values, use Show as to display numbers as a percentage of the total instead of raw numbers.

Filtering a pivot table in Google Sheets

Filters let you focus on one group without deleting anything. Click Edit under the pivot table, next to Filters click Add and choose a field. Then use the down arrow next to Showing all items and pick Filter by condition (for example, text contains) or Filter by values, where you untick the items to hide and click OK.

One catch from Google's page: if you filter by value and later change the source data, you need to update the filter for new data to appear. If a new customer seems to be missing from your table, that's the first place to look.

Grouping dates and numbers inside a pivot table

Dates are where pivot tables shine for small businesses. Google says that right-clicking a date-formatted cell lets you choose Create pivot date group, then pick a period such as month. You can also build your own groups by right-clicking cells and choosing Create pivot group, and undo them with Ungroup pivot items.

What you want	Where Google's help says to look
Bundle dates by month or other period	Right-click a date cell, Create pivot date group
Bundle numbers into bands	Right-click a cell, Create pivot group rule
Pick items to bundle together manually	Right-click cells, Create pivot group
Reverse any of the above	Right-click the group, Ungroup pivot items

Editing or removing fields in your pivot table

Changed your mind? Click the Edit button under the pivot table. In the side panel you can drag a field to another category, click Remove to delete it, use Select data range to change where the data comes from, or click Clear all to start again. Google also says the pivot table refreshes whenever you change the source cells it draws from, so you don't need to rebuild it when a row is added inside the range.

If you add data below the old range, use Select data range to extend it.

A pivot table for survey or form answers

A pivot table is brilliant for tallying answers from a form. Put the question in Rows and count the same field in Values, and you've got a quick breakdown. If you're still choosing a tool for gathering those answers, my list of Google Forms alternatives and how they compare might help, as long as the tool can send responses to a spreadsheet.

And if your finished table is going into a document for a client, my notes on setting up a Google Docs template so the numbers don't go wrong cover that side.

If your Google Sheets pivot table looks wrong

1. Check every source column has a header. Google says each one needs one.
2. Check the data range covers all the rows you expect, using Select data range.
3. Check any filter. Filters by value need updating after you change the source data.
4. Check numbers aren't stored as text, since text can't be added up.
5. Remove the field and add it again, or click Clear all and rebuild from scratch.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a pivot table in Google Sheets?

Select your data including headers, click Insert then Pivot table, choose where to put it, then use the side panel to Add a field under Rows (or Columns) and another under Values.

Why does Google Sheets say my pivot table needs a header?

Google's help says each source column needs a header. Add a short heading to every column and select the range again.

Does a pivot table change my original data?

No. It reads from your source cells and shows a summary in its own sheet. Google says it refreshes whenever the source cells change.

How do I stop Google Sheets suggesting pivot tables?

Go to Tools, then Suggestion controls, and turn off Enable Pivot table suggestions.

How do I change a pivot table's data range?

Click Edit under the pivot table and use Select data range in the side panel.