Learning objectives

1. Find and correct errors in a data set (clean the data)
2. Add columns containing formulas to a data set
3. Create a pivot table in Excel
4. Create a pivot chart in Excel
5. Analyze sales data using a pivot table and a pivot chart
6. Determine the net impact on retained earnings using data from a pivot table
7. Create a calculated field in a pivot table
8. Sort a pivot table by stated criteria
9. Filter a pivot table
10. Interpret findings from a pivot table

Data set background

This dataset represents sales and cost data for a fictitious company, Cabinet Accessory Company (CAC), covering the four-year period from 2014 to 2018. CAC sells cabinet hardware including knobs and pulls. In the project, the student is asked to calculate the net impact on retained earnings each year from the sales and cost data. The project also focuses on the calculation of gross profit from a set of sales data and how that sales and cost data can be viewed from the perspective of the region, product line, etc.

Data dictionary

• customer_number: Description
• region: There are eight regions: Central, East coast, Midwest, Northeast, Northwest, South, West, and International.
• date_of_sale: Description
• item: Description
• brand: Description
• collection: Description
• description: Description
• list_price: Description
• cost: Description
• quantity_sold: Description

1. Create a pivot table that shows sales revenue, total cost, and gross profit for each year. What would have been the net impact on retained earnings in each of these years from the transactions listed in the data set? Ignore any tax effects.
2. Create a pivot table to answer the question What was the most profitable brand in each year, as measured by gross profit?