Comments on: Adding Visualizations to your Pivot Tables http://datapigtechnologies.com/blog/index.php/adding-visualizations-to-your-pivot-tables/ A DataPig Technologies Blog Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:53:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Colin Banfield http://datapigtechnologies.com/blog/index.php/adding-visualizations-to-your-pivot-tables/comment-page-1/#comment-1416 Colin Banfield Sun, 05 Jul 2009 05:08:45 +0000 http://datapigtechnologies.com/blog/?p=249#comment-1416 Mike, agreed. I'm not sure what the best solution would be for this issue, but it's always been the case when a new version of Excel is introduced. Standing still wouldn't help (the product needs to evolve), but sometimes unnecessary incompatibilities are introduced. One that's given me a particularly large headache concerns QueryTables. You can't create a QueryTable (worksheet object) via MS Query in Excel 2007. When you return data to Excel from Query and choose to create a PivotTable, if the workbook is in compatibility mode, a backward compatible PivotTable is created. In a similar vein, why in God's name can't compatibility mode present the option to create a QueryTable instead of a Table when returning data to Excel? Mike, agreed. I’m not sure what the best solution would be for this issue, but it’s always been the case when a new version of Excel is introduced. Standing still wouldn’t help (the product needs to evolve), but sometimes unnecessary incompatibilities are introduced. One that’s given me a particularly large headache concerns QueryTables. You can’t create a QueryTable (worksheet object) via MS Query in Excel 2007. When you return data to Excel from Query and choose to create a PivotTable, if the workbook is in compatibility mode, a backward compatible PivotTable is created. In a similar vein, why in God’s name can’t compatibility mode present the option to create a QueryTable instead of a Table when returning data to Excel?

]]> By: datapig http://datapigtechnologies.com/blog/index.php/adding-visualizations-to-your-pivot-tables/comment-page-1/#comment-1397 datapig Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:25:24 +0000 http://datapigtechnologies.com/blog/?p=249#comment-1397 Colin: It sounds like we share a general distain for the new Icon sets in 2007. More specifically, the lack of backward compatiblity. What's the point of a new functionality when 50%+ of users won't be able to benefit from it. Colin: It sounds like we share a general distain for the new Icon sets in 2007. More specifically, the lack of backward compatiblity. What’s the point of a new functionality when 50%+ of users won’t be able to benefit from it.

]]> By: Colin Banfield http://datapigtechnologies.com/blog/index.php/adding-visualizations-to-your-pivot-tables/comment-page-1/#comment-1396 Colin Banfield Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:20:28 +0000 http://datapigtechnologies.com/blog/?p=249#comment-1396 Mike, points well taken. I suppose that my observation here is that if one is concerned about trouble spots, then only the trouble spots need to be highlighted. After all, the visualization is binary - the number is either up or down (or perhaps no change for a third state). Since the visualization doesn't show the extent of "up" values, it seems redundant to highlight them at all (and potentially distract the reader from the problem areas). Never mind - I like the technique for showing how to create visualization icons in Excel, without having to resort to icon sets (which aren't available pre-Excel 2007). Mike, points well taken. I suppose that my observation here is that if one is concerned about trouble spots, then only the trouble spots need to be highlighted. After all, the visualization is binary – the number is either up or down (or perhaps no change for a third state). Since the visualization doesn’t show the extent of “up” values, it seems redundant to highlight them at all (and potentially distract the reader from the problem areas). Never mind – I like the technique for showing how to create visualization icons in Excel, without having to resort to icon sets (which aren’t available pre-Excel 2007).

]]> By: datapig http://datapigtechnologies.com/blog/index.php/adding-visualizations-to-your-pivot-tables/comment-page-1/#comment-1390 datapig Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:09:35 +0000 http://datapigtechnologies.com/blog/?p=249#comment-1390 Colin: I get your meaining. In this particular example, the justification seems thin. However, In larger datasets with many more data points, these visualizations can offer an at-a-glance view of trouble areas. Also, these visualizations do offer some value when printing in black and white - where the benefit of color is diminished. Colin: I get your meaining. In this particular example, the justification seems thin. However, In larger datasets with many more data points, these visualizations can offer an at-a-glance view of trouble areas.

Also, these visualizations do offer some value when printing in black and white – where the benefit of color is diminished.

]]> By: Colin Banfield http://datapigtechnologies.com/blog/index.php/adding-visualizations-to-your-pivot-tables/comment-page-1/#comment-1377 Colin Banfield Sat, 04 Jul 2009 16:50:06 +0000 http://datapigtechnologies.com/blog/?p=249#comment-1377 Mike, that's a neat trick - although the practical value is elusive. For example, what more insight do you get for the added complexity introduced, compared to say, conditionallly formatting the negative value(s) in the data set to stand out? Mike, that’s a neat trick – although the practical value is elusive. For example, what more insight do you get for the added complexity introduced, compared to say, conditionallly formatting the negative value(s) in the data set to stand out?

]]>