Empty PivotTable Cells Don't Show as Blank

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated May 13, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365


Philip has used PivotTables for years, and feels he knows how to manipulate them. Lately, though, the empty cells in his PivotTables are coming up with the text "Empty" rather than just being blank. Philip wonders why this would be happening and how to stop it.

There is a very good chance that, somehow, the configuration options for PivotTables were changed for the PivotTable. Follow these steps to check:

  1. Right-click your PivotTable. Excel displays a Context menu.
  2. From the options available, choose PivotTable Options. Excel displays the PivotTable Options dialog box.
  3. Make sure the Layout & Format tab is displayed. (If is typically displayed by default.) (See Figure 1.)
  4. Figure 1. The Layout & Format tab of the PivotTable Options dialog box.

  5. Clear the For Empty Cells Show check box.
  6. Click OK.

Note, in these steps, what is shown in the For Empty Cells Show field. If the field is blank, then it doesn't really matter if the check box is chosen or not. In Philip's situation, though, there is a very good chance that the word "Empty" is within that field, and that is why he is seeing what he is seeing.

This setting can be changed on a case-by-case basis for your PivotTables. If you are using Excel 2019, Excel 2021, or the version of Excel provided with Microsoft Office, then it is possible that your default PivotTable settings have been modified. In these versions, follow these steps:

  1. Display the File tab of the ribbon and click on Options. This displays the Excel Options dialog box.
  2. At the left side of the dialog box, click Data. (If this option is not available on your system, then you are using an older version of Excel and you cannot change PivotTable defaults.)
  3. Click the Edit Default Layout dialog box. Excel displays the Edit Default Layout dialog box.
  4. Click the PivotTable Options button. Excel displays the PivotTable Options dialog box, which is virtually identical to the dialog box shown earlier.
  5. On the Layout & Format tab, either clear the For Empty Cells Show check box or make sure the field is empty.
  6. Click on OK to close the PivotTable Options dialog box.
  7. Click on OK to close the Edit Default Layout dialog box.
  8. Click on OK to close the Excel Options dialog box.

Now, whenever you inset a new PivotTable, you won't see the word "Empty" in empty PivotTable cells.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (13045) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

How to Stop a Table Row from Splitting Over Two Pages

Do you want your table rows to be split between pages? Word allows you to format the table so that rows stay together and ...

Discover More

Changing Limited Relative References to Absolute

Do you need to change whether a particular reference in a formula uses a relative or absolute reference? If so, you may ...

Discover More

Squeezing Everything In

Do you have just a line or two of text that 'spills over' onto another printed page? Here are some ways you can compress ...

Discover More

Professional Development Guidance! Four world-class developers offer start-to-finish guidance for building powerful, robust, and secure applications with Excel. The authors show how to consistently make the right design decisions and make the most of Excel's powerful features. Check out Professional Excel Development today!

More ExcelTips (ribbon)

Maintaining Formatting when Refreshing PivotTables

When you refresh the data in a PivotTable, Excel can play havoc with whatever formatting you applied. Here's how to ...

Discover More

Error in Linked PivotTable Value

Excel allows you to link to values in other workbooks, even if those values are in PivotTables. However, Excel may ...

Discover More

Displaying a PivotTable's Name in the PivotTable

When you create a PivotTable, it can have a name. You may want this name to appear within the PivotTable itself. There is ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is two minus 1?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.