Reporting Module (Excel Pivot View)

\# written by anton perepelytsya | last published at october 24, 2025 \# # excel pivot view \# overview the excel pivot view is an advanced reporting feature within enapps erp that provides users with powerful data analysis capabilities directly within the system this functionality allows you to analyse and visualise data from any list view in two distinct modes crosstab and tabular unlike traditional static reports, the excel pivot view offers dynamic, interactive data exploration with the ability to save your custom analyses as reusable templates and share them with other users across your organisation the excel pivot view transforms standard list data into flexible, excel like pivot tables, enabling you to group, aggregate, filter, and reorganise information without needing to export data to external spreadsheet applications your custom views can be saved as templates and shared organisation wide, promoting consistency in reporting and analysis across teams \# functional end user guide \# accessing the excel pivot view to access the excel pivot view functionality, you must have the advanced reporting module enabled for your system once enabled, you can access pivot views from any list view within the system that supports this view type note to use the excel pivot view, your user account must have read access to the data you wish to analyse the system will only display data that you have permission to view based on your assigned access rights \# understanding the two view modes the excel pivot view offers two distinct modes for data analysis, each suited to different reporting needs \# 1\ crosstab view the crosstab view (also known as a pivot table or cross tabulation) allows you to summarise and analyse data by creating a matrix that displays aggregated values across two or more dimensions this view is ideal for comparing data across different categories and identifying patterns or trends key features row fields define which fields appear as rows in your pivot table you can add multiple levels of row groupings to create hierarchical breakdowns of your data column fields specify which fields appear as columns, allowing you to compare data across different dimensions horizontally measure fields select numerical fields to aggregate (sum, average, count, minimum, maximum) within your crosstab these values appear at the intersections of your rows and columns filters apply filters to limit the data displayed in your crosstab, focusing on specific subsets of information drill down capability click on aggregated values to see the underlying detail records that contribute to that total common use cases monthly sales by sales person financial reporting with accounts grouped by type and compared across months inventory analysis comparing stock levels across locations and product families customer order analysis by region and product line \# 2\ tabular view the tabular view provides a more traditional, flat table layout that displays detailed records with the ability to group, sort, and aggregate data this view is ideal when you need to see individual records alongside summary information or when you require a more straightforward, row by row data presentation key features column selection choose which fields to display as columns in your tabular report, allowing you to focus on relevant data points grouping group records by one or more fields to create collapsible sections with subtotals sorting sort data by any column in ascending or descending order to quickly identify top or bottom performers aggregations display summary calculations (totals, averages, counts) at group and grand total levels filters apply field level filters to display only records matching specific criteria common use cases cashflow analysis on journal lines purchase order reports grouped by supplier with item details timesheet reports showing individual entries grouped by project and employee inventory movement reports with groupings by warehouse and date range \# switching between view modes you can easily switch between crosstab and tabular views whilst working with your data the system preserves your field selections and filters when switching modes, allowing you to view the same data set from different perspectives use the view mode selector (typically located in the view toolbar) to toggle between these two modes \# working with pivot views \# creating a custom pivot analysis navigate to the list view of the data you wish to analyse (e g , sales orders, purchase orders, invoices) switch to the excel pivot view using the view selector in the toolbar choose your desired view mode (crosstab or tabular) configure your analysis by choosing the fields in the appropriate areas (rows, columns, measures for crosstab; columns and groups for tabular) selecting aggregation functions for numerical fields (sum, average, count, etc ) applying filters to focus on specific data subsets the view updates dynamically as you make changes, providing instant feedback on your data analysis \# applying filters filters allow you to narrow down the data displayed in your pivot view based on specific criteria access the filter panel (typically displayed at the top of the pivot view or via a filter icon) select the field you wish to filter on define your filter criteria (equals, contains, greater than, date ranges, etc ) apply the filter to update your view you can apply multiple filters simultaneously to create complex data selections active filters are typically displayed with the ability to quickly remove or modify them \# exporting data you can export the data displayed in your pivot view to external formats for further analysis or sharing excel format ( xlsx) preserves formatting and structure csv format for importing into other systems or applications pdf format for formal reporting and distribution export options are typically accessible via an export button or menu in the view toolbar the exported file reflects your current view configuration, including all applied filters, groupings, and calculations \# saving and managing pivot templates one of the most powerful features of the excel pivot view is the ability to save your custom configurations as reusable templates this eliminates the need to repeatedly configure the same analysis and ensures consistency across your reporting \# saving a pivot template configure your pivot view with the desired fields, groupings, filters, and calculations locate the "create template" or “save” into existing template option in the view toolbar enter a descriptive name for your template that clearly indicates its purpose (e g , "monthly sales by region", "inventory valuation by category") the system will save your current view configuration, including selected fields and their positions aggregation functions applied filters and filter criteria sort orders and grouping levels view mode (crosstab or tabular) click "save" to store your template by default, templates you create are personal to your user account this means only you can see and use these templates initially \# loading a saved template open the excel pivot view for the relevant data type access the template selector (typically a dropdown menu labelled "templates" or "load template") browse the list of available templates you will see your personal templates shared templates created by other users system wide templates (if your administrator has created any) select the template you wish to load the view will immediately update to display the saved configuration you can then make temporary modifications to the loaded template without affecting the saved version, or you can save your changes as a new template \# using shared templates templates that have been shared organisation wide (see "sharing templates with others" below) appear in your template list alongside your personal templates shared templates are typically marked with an indicator (such as a globe icon or "shared" label) to distinguish them from personal templates you can use shared templates in exactly the same way as your personal templates however, you may not have permission to modify or delete shared templates, depending on your access rights \# sharing templates with others to promote consistency in reporting and enable collaboration, you can share your pivot templates with other users in your organisation when you share a template, it becomes available to all users who have access to the relevant data module important sharing templates typically requires specific permissions if you do not see options to share templates, contact your system administrator \# how to share a template navigate to settings >> technical >> excel pivot templates (or administration >> excel pivot templates , depending on your system configuration) locate the template you wish to share in the list open the template record by clicking on it look for the "user" field in the template form to share the template with all users clear the "user" field (set it to blank/empty) this makes the template accessible to all users who have access to view the underlying data to keep the template personal leave your user name in the "user" field only you will be able to see and use this template save the template record once a template has been shared (user field is blank), it will appear in the template selector for all users when they access the excel pivot view for that particular data type \# best practices for template sharing use clear, descriptive names ensure template names clearly indicate what the report shows and who might find it useful (e g , "finance team monthly p\&l summary" rather than just "my report") document complex templates for templates with complex filters or calculations, consider adding notes or documentation to help other users understand how to interpret the results coordinate with your team before sharing templates organisation wide, coordinate with relevant teams to ensure the template meets their needs and follows any established naming conventions regular review periodically review shared templates to ensure they remain relevant and remove or update outdated configurations consider data security remember that shared templates are only as restricted as the underlying data users will only see data they have permission to access, but ensure you're not inadvertently exposing sensitive information through your template design \# tips for effective pivot analysis start simple begin with a basic configuration and gradually add complexity it's easier to understand your data when you build your analysis incrementally use filters strategically apply filters to focus on relevant data subsets this improves performance and makes your analysis more manageable name templates clearly use descriptive, consistent naming conventions for your templates to make them easy to find and understand later leverage grouping in both crosstab and tabular views, effective grouping can reveal patterns and trends that might not be obvious in flat data choose the right view mode use crosstab for comparative analysis across dimensions, and tabular for detailed record listings with subtotals save multiple variations for complex analyses, consider saving multiple template variations (e g , monthly, quarterly, and annual versions) to accommodate different reporting needs refresh your view if you're analysing live data, remember to refresh your pivot view periodically to ensure you're working with the most current information \# frequently asked questions \# can i modify a shared template? you can use shared templates and make temporary modifications to them during your session however, you typically cannot save changes to templates created by other users if you wish to keep your modifications, save them as a new personal template with a different name \# what happens if i delete a shared template? if you have permission to delete a shared template, removing it will make it unavailable to all users exercise caution when deleting shared templates, as this affects everyone in your organisation consider discussing with relevant stakeholders before removing widely used templates \# will other users see my personal templates? no templates where the user field is set to your user account remain private and are only visible to you other users cannot see, use, or modify your personal templates unless you explicitly share them by clearing the user field \# can i export my pivot analysis to excel? yes the excel pivot view includes export functionality that allows you to export your current view to various formats, including excel ( xlsx), csv, and pdf the exported file will reflect your current configuration, including all filters, groupings, and calculations \# why don't i see the excel pivot view option? the excel pivot view is an advanced feature that must be enabled at the system level if you don't see this option, it may not be enabled for your organisation contact your system administrator to request access to this functionality \# how many templates can i create? there is no practical limit to the number of pivot templates you can create however, for ease of management, it's recommended to create templates judiciously and maintain a well organised naming structure \# can i apply date filters to show data for specific periods? yes the filter functionality supports date and date range filters, allowing you to focus your analysis on specific time periods (e g , this month, last quarter, year to date) date filters are particularly useful for time series analysis and period comparisons \# what's the difference between a filter and a grouping? a filter excludes data from your view based on criteria (e g , "show only orders from the uk"), whilst a grouping organises visible data into categories (e g , "group orders by customer") filters reduce the data set; grouping reorganises it \# what's coming next? we are currently at phase 2 completed, more to come in the upcoming 3 phases dashboard integration the ability to take a portion of your pivot and push to the dashboard; custom data builder crosstable reporting that pulls data from multiple tables; data cross sharing one centralised view to manage different datasets pushed into separate sheets and more depeding on your feedback \# getting help if you encounter difficulties using the excel pivot view or have questions not covered in this guide, please contact your system administrator or support team they can provide guidance specific to your organisation's configuration and data structure