Prepare Data for Analysis in PowerPivot

Before you can analyze data in PowerPivot for Excel, you must prepare the data to support that analysis. Preparation occurs largely in the PowerPivot window, which is described in Take a Tour of the PowerPivot UI. Typically your workflow in the PowerPivot window is something like this:

1. Add data from various sources.

2. Review the added data. Quickly filter, sort, and browse data.

3. Add new columns or delete columns you don't need in the imported data.

4. Connect tables by creating relationships, or review any relationships that were imported with the data.

5. Create calculations that build on the data.

PowerPivot for Excel is flexible, so you are not required to follow a linear workflow. You could, for example, add data from new sources after you have already defined some relationships between existing tables.

This section provides an overview of the tasks that you perform in these areas. After the data is prepared for analysis, see Overview of Reports, Charts, and PivotTables for more information.