Pivot Tables Overview
Pivot tables transform detailed records into summary views by grouping data across rows and columns and calculating values like sums, averages, and counts. They're available in Next-Gen Apps only—Classic pivot tables must be rebuilt.
What Are Pivot Tables?
Pivot tables provide a dynamic way to analyze your data by creating summaries that can be easily reconfigured without changing your underlying data structure. You can group data by different fields, calculate totals and averages, and present complex datasets in an easily digestible format.
This feature is particularly valuable when you need to:
- Analyze trends across time periods or categories
- Compare performance across regions, teams, or product lines
- Create executive-level summaries from detailed transactional data
- View the same data from multiple perspectives without duplicating tables
Classic to Next-Gen Compatibility
Existing pivot tables in Knack Classic are not forwards compatible with Next-Gen Apps. Pivot tables created in Classic must be rebuilt in Next-Gen. Pivot tables created in Next-Gen will not appear in Classic Live Apps. Learn more in Pivot Tables: Classic to Next-Gen Compatibility.
Core Concepts
Row Groupings organize your data vertically. You can create hierarchical groupings (e.g., Category → Subcategory) to enable drill-down analysis.
Column Groupings organize your data horizontally, creating comparison points across categories like regions, time periods, or status values.
Values are the calculations displayed in each cell where rows and columns intersect. Choose from Sum, Average, Count, Minimum, or Maximum.
Summaries provide totals at the row, column, or grand total level.
What You Can Do with Pivot Tables
| Use Case | Row Grouping | Column Grouping | Values |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales by region | Product Category | Sales Region | Revenue (Sum) |
| Team performance over time | Department | Quarter | Tasks Completed (Count) |
| Customer behavior analysis | Customer Segment | Purchase Channel | Order Value (Average) |
| Operational efficiency | Process | Shift | Processing Time (Average) |
Pivot Table Documentation
| Article | Description |
|---|---|
| Quick Start: Create Your First Pivot Table | Step-by-step tutorial to build a basic pivot table in 5 minutes |
| Configuring Row Groupings | Set up single or hierarchical row groupings with sorting options |
| Configuring Column Groupings | Choose effective column groupings and manage column count |
| Values and Calculations | Configure value fields, summarization methods, and summaries |
| Pivot Table Examples | Real-world configurations for sales, operations, and customer analysis |
| Tips and Best Practices | Planning, performance, and collaboration guidance |
Upcoming Features
Knack is actively developing additional pivot table capabilities:
- Source Filters — Limit data before grouping occurs (e.g., filter to a specific date range)
- User Filters — Let end users dynamically filter pivot table data
- Export — Download pivot tables as Excel or CSV files
Watch Knack's release notes for availability announcements.
Glossary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Aggregation | Combining multiple data points using functions like sum, average, or count |
| Cross-tabulation | A table format that displays the relationship between two or more variables |
| Hierarchical grouping | Organizing data in nested levels where primary groups expand to show subgroups |
| Pivot | Reorganizing data to view it from different perspectives without changing the source |
| Summarization | The calculation method used for values (sum, average, count, min, max) |
This documentation reflects current Next-Gen Apps functionality. Features will evolve as Knack continues to enhance pivot tables.
Updated about 1 month ago