How to Save a Pivot Table in Excel

Saving a Pivot Table in Excel feels like it should be as simple as hitting Ctrl+S, but there's a bit more to it depending on what you actually want to save. Do you want to preserve the interactive report? Or do you need a static, unchangeable snapshot of the data? Or maybe you want a reusable template for future reports. This guide will walk you through the different ways to save your Pivot Table so you get exactly what you need.

The Simplest Method: Just Save the Excel Workbook

Let's start with the most common scenario. When you have a Pivot Table in your workbook and click File > Save or press Ctrl+S, you are saving the entire package. This is the default and easiest way to keep everything together.

What Gets Saved?

Saving the workbook preserves three key components of your Pivot Table:

• The Pivot Table Report: This is the visual part you see and interact with - the rows, columns, values, and filters you've arranged.

• The PivotCache: This is a hidden gem. Excel creates a special memory cache (a PivotCache) of your source data when you create the Pivot Table. This is why Pivot Tables are so fast - they aren't re-querying your tens of thousands of rows of source data every time you drag a field. Saving the workbook saves this cache, so the table loads instantly the next time you open the file. The downside is that it can increase your file size.

• The Connection to a Data Source: The Pivot Table remains linked to its original source data. If your data is in another tab within the same workbook, that link is saved. If it's from an external source, that connection information is also stored.

To keep your data current, all you need to do is right-click anywhere inside the Pivot Table and select Refresh. This tells Excel to update its PivotCache from the source data and display the latest information.

Bottom Line: For everyday use where you need to keep your report interactive and update it later, simply saving the workbook is all you need to do.

How to Save a Pivot Table with Just the Values

Sometimes you need to share your findings without sending the interactive Pivot Table or the massive data source behind it. Maybe you're emailing a summary to your boss or archiving a month-end report. In these cases, you want to "freeze" the Pivot Table into static values.

This method converts your dynamic Pivot Table into a regular, non-interactive range of cells. The formatting stays, but the ability to slice, dice, and pivot the data is removed. It's the perfect way to create a clean, simple report.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Select the Entire Pivot Table: Click inside your Pivot Table. Then navigate to the PivotTable Analyze tab in the ribbon, click on the Select dropdown, and choose Entire PivotTable. Alternatively, you can carefully click and drag to select all the cells.

2. Copy the Selection: Press Ctrl+C on your keyboard to copy the selected data.

3. Paste as Values: Right-click on a new, empty cell where you want to place the static data (this can be in a new sheet or even a new workbook). In the context menu, look for Paste Special. Under the Paste Values section, you have a few options:

   • Values (V): This is a popular choice. It just pastes the unformatted numbers and text.

   • Values & Number Formatting (A): This is usually the best option. It keeps your currency symbols, percentages, and decimal places just as they appeared in the Pivot Table.

   • Values & Source Formatting (E): This attempts to keep all the original formatting, including colors and fonts.

   For most reports, "Values & Number Formatting" is the perfect balance.

4. Review Your Static Report: You now have a perfect copy of your Pivot Table's output, but it's just a normal range of cells. The data will no longer change, and the "PivotTable Fields" pane will not appear when you click on it.

This resulting static table is lightweight, easy to email, and prevents anyone from accidentally changing the filters and misinterpreting the data.

How to Move and Save a Pivot Table in Its Own File

What if you want to send the interactive Pivot Table to a colleague, but you don't want to include the other 15 messy tabs in your original workbook? You can easily move or copy your Pivot Table's worksheet into a brand-new, clean workbook.

This method keeps the Pivot Table fully functional and packages its data cache along with it, so it's a self-contained, interactive report.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Right-Click the Worksheet Tab: At the bottom of Excel, find the tab that contains your Pivot Table. Right-click on it.

2. Choose "Move or Copy...": This will open up a dialog box.

3. Select "(new book)" From the Dropdown: In the "To book:" dropdown menu at the top of the dialog, select the option for "(new book)".

4. Create a Copy: This is important. At the bottom of the dialog box, make sure to check the box that says "Create a copy." If you forget this step, Excel will move the sheet out of your original workbook instead of copying it.

5. Click OK: Excel will instantly create a new workbook that contains only the worksheet with your Pivot Table.

6. Save the New Workbook: You can now save this new, lean workbook under a different name. It's fully interactive because it brought the PivotCache along with it.

This is extremely useful for sharing specific analytical views without overwhelming the recipient with the primary source file.

Creating a Static Snapshot: How to Save a Pivot Table as a PDF

For presentations, formal reports, or sending data to non-Excel users, a PDF is the universal standard. Saving your Pivot Table as a PDF creates a professional, static, and easy-to-read document that looks the same on any device.

Step-by-Step Instructions using "Save As"

1. Set Your Pivot Table View: Make sure your filters, sorters, and layout are exactly how you want them to appear in the final PDF.

2. Go to File > Save a Copy (or Save As): Select this from the File menu.

3. Change the File Type to PDF: Click on the dropdown menu under the file name. Scroll down and select PDF (*.pdf) from the list.

4. Check Your Options (Optional but Recommended): Click on the "More options..." link near the save button. In the full save dialog, there's an "Options…" button. This lets you specify whether to save the entire workbook, just the active sheet, or only your selected cells. For a Pivot Table report, "Active sheet(s)" is usually what you want. You can also use Excel's print settings to scale the output to fit on one page.

5. Click Save: You now have a clean, printable PDF version of your Pivot Table summary.

Alternatively, you can go to File > Print and select "Microsoft Print to PDF" (or a similar option) as your printer. This route gives you more control over page orientation, margins, and scaling before you save the file.

Final Thoughts

As we've seen, "saving" a Pivot Table in Excel can mean several different things. Simply saving the workbook keeps it live and interactive for future use. Copying and pasting as values creates a static snapshot for easy sharing, while moving the sheet to a new file lets you share a functional, focused report. The best method simply depends on what you plan to do with the data next.

These manual reporting workflows in Excel - refreshing a data source, adjusting pivot tables, saving as a PDF, and emailing it out - are a routine process for tens of millions of people. Over time, that adds up to countless hours spent on repetitive busywork. We created Graphed to automate that entire cycle. Instead of manually rebuilding reports, you connect your data sources once, and your dashboards are always live and update in real time. It allows your entire team to explore data, ask questions, and get instant answers without ever having to touch a CSV file or build another pivot table.