Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007 and 2010. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Default Formatting for PivotTables.
James is frustrated when it comes to formatting PivotTables. He would like all PivotTables to start in the classic format with no subtotals and repeated row items with all values in accounting format with no currency sign and no characters after the decimal. Being able to set a default such as this would save James a huge amount of time. He wonders about the easiest way to set default formatting for PivotTables so that he can avoid going through the repetitive process of formatting each new PivotTable.
Unfortunately, there is no way to create a default format for your PivotTables that we've been able to discover. One thing you might try is to develop a macro that does the formatting for you—start by recording the process of formatting your PivotTable, and then adjust the macro so that it is more global and can apply to almost any PivotTable you create. (This process can be a bit intimidating, but it can be done.)
Another idea is to create a workbook with the PivotTable formatted as desired and then save that workbook as read-only. Then, when you need to do some work using that format of PivotTable, you can open the workbook, save it under a different name, and modify the data used to make up the PivotTable, as desired.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (11263) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007 and 2010. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Default Formatting for PivotTables.
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2021-01-26 04:29:21
Rene Boers
In Excel 365 you can change the default layout under File>Options>Data. Under Data Options, open "Edit Default Layout" box. Make the necessary changes, <OK>. This may also work for other versions after Office 2013.
2018-02-13 14:45:54
Eric
Excel 2016 offers the ability to change the default pivot table layout. I might just have to upgrade from Office 2013 for this feature alone.
2015-04-15 11:24:05
Rod Vandig
I have copied the pivot table with the style format I want to the sheet I want the style applied in, then applied that style to the new sheet pivot table, and then deleted the sheet that had the old pivot table in it. That seems to work as well.
2014-11-12 09:28:15
Char
If you know you are going to be creating pivot tables for specific spreadsheets wouldn't saving the spread with the pivot table you have created as template work?
2014-11-12 09:20:03
Nancy Harpe
I wish I didn't always have to select the Classic Pivot Table Layout every time I inserted a pivot table. Okay, I know, I'm old school but I like the old set up better.(Before MS Office 2010) Why does Microsoft fix what's not broken? :-(
2014-11-12 08:22:20
As for the formatting of the cells themselves: if you know where the pivot table is placed, you can (probably) say where the data will be placed. Then use something like Cells.NumberFormat to get the job done.
2014-11-12 08:15:08
Some info about how to create PivotTables through VBA: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/hh243933%28v=office.14%29.aspx
Even more important than that:
1) You can Refresh the PivotTables automatically, for example when opening the Excel file. Useful for keeping them uptodate (though I don't remember if you also need to update the reports and the graphs manually or if this takes care of everything).
2)You can (and should) clear the pivot cache frequently. Especially in old Excel versions it can build up and create monstrously big files. I think this should take care of it: http://www.contextures.com/xlPivot04.html ...but it's been ages since I've last used a pivot table so you shouldn't take my word for it.
2012-02-04 04:22:02
Jim Huggins
I`m still learning Excel,but who isn`t.I love getting these Emails from you every week,it lets me know that I`m not the only one who scratches my head while using Excel.Believe it or not,Pivot Tables and Charts have been the subject my studies for the last couple of weeks.My professor is convinced(or so he says) that Pivot Tables aren`t as hard as people make them out to be,because,you always get a free Pivot Chart with every Table.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007 and 2010. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: 
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