XL97: Using Server Page Fields in PivotTables

ID: Q157488

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel 97, you can use server page fields to reduce the amount of data returned from an external data source into a PivotTable. This is useful when creating PivotTables from very large databases.

MORE INFORMATION

When you create a PivotTable using an external data source, Microsoft Excel has to process all data records returned to it from the external data source. If your database contains millions of records, this could take a very long time to complete.

However, you can use server page fields to "filter" data before it is returned to the PivotTable in Microsoft Excel -- reducing the amount of time required to create the PivotTable. For example, you can use a server page field to return only records where the Country field is equal to "USA."

Using server page fields also helps reduce the amount of memory required to cache information used by the PivotTable.

To use server page fields in a PivotTable, follow these steps:

1. On the Data menu, click PivotTable Report.

2. In the Step 1 of 4 dialog box, click "External data source," and then 

   click Next.
3. In the Step 2 of 4 dialog box, click Get Data. Use Microsoft Query 
   to attach to your external database, select tables, and so on. Once the
   data fields have been retrieved, click Next.
4. In the Step 3 of 4 dialog box, drag field names into the Column, 
   Row, Data, and Page areas of the diagram. You MUST add at least one
   field name into the Page area; this is the field for which server
   page fields will be created.
5. In the Page area of the diagram, double-click the field name for 
   which you want to create server page fields.
6. In the PivotTable Field dialog box, click Advanced.

7. In the Page Field Options, click "Query external data source." Click OK 

   twice.
8. In the Step 3 of 4 dialog box, click Next.

9. In the Step 4 of 4 dialog box, select a destination for the 

   PivotTable, and then click Finish.
After your PivotTable has been created, you can click the drop-down list in the Page field to retrieve data for the selected item. Each time you do this, Microsoft Excel performs the following steps:

1. Microsoft Excel queries the external data source again and retrieves 

   the appropriate data for the selected Page field.
2. The PivotTable memory cache is cleared and filled with new records.

3. The PivotTable is refreshed and redisplayed using the newly retrieved 

   records.
Because of the way in which server page fields work, the "(All)" item is removed from the drop-down list. This is because only a subset of the data in the external data source is being returned to Microsoft Excel. If you want to show all records:

1. Double-click the field name in the Page field.

2. In the PivotTable Field dialog box, click Advanced.

3. In the Page Field Options, click "Retrieve external data for all." 

   Click OK twice.

REFERENCES

For more information about PivotTables in Microsoft Excel, click the Index tab in Microsoft Excel Help, type the following text 

   PivotTables, overview
click Display, click "PivotTables: Analyzing data interactively", and then click Display.

Additional query words: 8.00 XL97 pivot tables server-based server based 

Keywords          : kbtool xlpivot 
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: November 5, 1998