Pivot Table Source Data and Refresh Check
Audit the source range, refresh habits and field setup of a pivot table to catch stale or incomplete numbers before sharing a report.
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[VERIFY] is an editorial flag, not a blank to fill. Wherever the prompt shows [VERIFY], check that item against a reliable source before you use it.
Please help me check a pivot table that people rely on for reports. I suspect the numbers may not include all the data or may be out of date. Describe menu paths or settings only with [VERIFY]. Inputs: the source data headers and the number of rows [SOURCE_HEADERS_AND_ROWS], how the source range is defined, such as fixed range or table [SOURCE_RANGE_DEFINITION], the pivot's rows, columns, values and filters [PIVOT_LAYOUT], the pivot totals and an independent total I can compute from the source [PIVOT_AND_SOURCE_TOTALS], and how often new data is added [UPDATE_FREQUENCY]. Return: (1) a check table with columns Check, Result, Evidence, Fix. Include: source range covers all rows, blank rows or columns in the source, headers unique and present, numbers stored as text, date fields grouped unexpectedly, filters hiding data, duplicate categories with spelling variants, summarising method (sum vs count) matches the meaning, and refresh status; (2) a reconciliation: pivot total versus source total with the difference and percent difference, showing the arithmetic; (3) the likely causes of any difference, ranked; (4) a refresh routine in numbered steps for each update; (5) a 6-line "before you send this report" checklist; (6) design improvements, such as turning the source into a table so that new rows are included. Guardrails: do not conclude a cause without evidence; list possibilities. Work on a copy. Do not change the file for me. Don't invent features. Add a worked example with invented figures: source total 48,250, pivot total 45,900. Show the 2,350 difference, 4.9 percent, and three possible causes.
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