Rahul's monthly pivot says Mumbai bought $45,000 of stationery. His manager looks at it and asks the question managers always ask: "Okay — but what share of the business is that?"
Raw totals rarely answer real questions. Shares, comparisons and rates do. This lesson makes the pivot speak in percentages, without a single formula.
Show Values As
Right-click any number inside the Values area → Show Values As → % of Grand Total.
Every number in the pivot instantly re-expresses itself as its slice of the whole: Mumbai 42%, Delhi 31%, and the Grand Total corner reads a reassuring 100%.
The same menu offers close cousins, and the difference matters:
| Option | Each number becomes | Good for |
|---|
| % of Grand Total | Its share of everything | "Which city matters most?" |
| % of Column Total | Its share within its column | "Inside bags, who buys most?" |
| % of Row Total | Its share within its row | "What does Mumbai mostly buy?" |