Can I create multiple pivot tables in one automation run?

Yes. Chain multiple Create Pivot Table operations, each targeting a different sheet name or data range. Pass the file output of each operation into the next.

Does Refresh Pivot Tables work on pivot tables created outside the automation?

Yes. Refresh Pivot Tables operates on whatever pivot tables exist in the workbook file, regardless of whether they were created by the automation or by a user in Excel. As long as the source data range is present and intact in the workbook, the refresh will update the pivot.

What happens if the data range is empty?

If the source data range contains only a header row and no data rows, the pivot table is created with the configured field structure but no aggregated values. The operation does not fail — it produces an empty pivot.

The Excel node's pivot table operations let you create structured summary tables from raw spreadsheet data and refresh existing pivot definitions when the underlying data changes — enabling automated data aggregation directly within your workflow, without opening the file manually.

Overview

Create Pivot Table generates a new pivot table on a target sheet, drawing from a defined data range on a source sheet. You specify which fields appear as row labels, which as column labels, and which values are aggregated — using functions such as sum, count, or average. Refresh Pivot Tables updates all existing pivot tables in the workbook to reflect the latest data in their source ranges. Use Refresh after your automation has written new rows to a sheet that feeds a pivot table already present in the file.

Operations

Operation	Description	Key inputs
Create Pivot Table	Generates a pivot table from a specified data range on a source sheet and places it on a target sheet. Row fields, column fields, value fields, and aggregation functions are all configurable.	File, Source sheet, Data range, Target sheet name, Row fields, Column fields, Value fields, Aggregation function
Refresh Pivot Tables	Re-evaluates all pivot tables in the workbook against their current source data ranges. Updates all pivot table outputs to reflect any rows added, changed, or removed since the pivot was last built.	File

Input

Field	Type	Required	Description
File	File reference	Yes	The Excel workbook to operate on. Pivot table support requires XLSX format.
Source sheet	String	Yes — Create	Name of the sheet containing the raw data. Sheet names are case-sensitive.
Data range	String	Yes — Create	Cell range of the source data including its header row, in standard Excel notation (e.g. A1:F200). The first row of the range is treated as column headers.
Target sheet name	String	Yes — Create	Name of the sheet where the pivot table will be placed. If the sheet does not exist, it is created.
Row fields	Array of strings	Yes — Create	Column header names from the source data to use as pivot row labels. Values must match the header row exactly (case-sensitive).
Column fields	Array of strings	No — Create	Column header names from the source data to use as pivot column labels. Omit for a single-axis (row-only) pivot.
Value fields	Array of objects	Yes — Create	Each object specifies a field (column header name) and an aggregation function (SUM, COUNT, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX).

Output

Create Pivot Table — returns the updated workbook as a file object, with the new pivot table placed on the target sheet. The source data sheet is unchanged.
Refresh Pivot Tables — returns the updated workbook as a file object, with all pivot tables recalculated against their current source data.

Notes

Pivot table operations require the workbook to be in XLSX format. Ensure any upstream conversion or creation step uses XLSX before passing the file to these operations.
Row field and column field names must match the header row of the source data exactly, including capitalisation and spacing. A mismatch causes the pivot definition to fail.
Refresh Pivot Tables refreshes all pivot tables in the workbook at once. There is no option to target a single pivot table by name.
When writing new rows to a source sheet with an existing pivot (for example using a Write operation earlier in the automation), chain a Refresh Pivot Tables operation afterward to keep the pivot in sync.
The Create Pivot Table operation places its output on a dedicated target sheet. If a sheet with that name already exists, its content is overwritten with the new pivot table.

Format requirement: Pivot table operations require XLSX format. If your workbook was created or converted in XLS or XLSB, use Convert Excel file format to upgrade it to XLSX before creating or refreshing pivot tables.