Summarizing grouped data

One of the primary purposes for breaking data into groups is to run calculations on each group of records instead of on all the records in the report.

When the program summarizes data, it sorts the data, breaks it into groups, and then summarizes the values in each group. It does this all automatically.

The program includes a number of summarizing options. Depending on the data type of the field you plan to summarize, you can:

• sum the values in each group
• count all the values or only those values that are distinct from one another
• determine the maximum, minimum, average, or Nth largest value
• calculate up to two kinds of standard deviations and variances.

For example:

• Customer list reports: Determine the number of customers in each state. The summary would count the distinct customers in each state group.
• Order reports: Determine the average order placed each month. The summary would calculate the size of the average order for each month group.
• Sales reports: Determine the total sales per sales representative. The summary would sum or subtotal the order amounts for each sales representative group.

To summarize grouped data

1. On the Insert menu, click Summary.

   The Insert Summary dialog box appears.

2. Select the desired summary operation from the top drop-down list.
3. Select the field you want the data to be grouped by from the second drop-down list.
4. Select the sort direction from the third drop-down list.
5. Click OK when finished.

   For example, if you wanted to count the number of customers you had per country, you would create a count field based on customer, and group by country.

   

Related topics

Subtotaling data