Forum Discussion

maruthiprasad's avatar
maruthiprasad
Copper Contributor
Oct 27, 2025

Grouping in Pivot Table

Hello,
I have created a Pivot table and am trying to group it.  However, I am getting a message of "Can't group the data".  Though the option is appearing somehow, it does not function in my system.  Can you suggest how to fix it?

Thanks, 

excel

1 Reply

  • Kidd_Ip's avatar
    Kidd_Ip
    MVP
    Oct 28, 2025

    Take a look at this:

     

    1. Mixed Data Types

    Grouping (especially by date or number) requires consistent data types.

    • Fix: Check the source column for mixed types (e.g., text + numbers or blank cells).
      • Use =ISTEXT() or =ISNUMBER() to test cells.
      • Convert all entries to the same type or remove problematic rows.
    1. Blank or Empty Cells

    Empty cells in the grouping column can block the operation.

    • Fix: Fill blanks with dummy values or remove them.
      • Use Go To Special → Blanks to find and fill them quickly.
    1. Non-Date Values in Date Column

     

    • Fix: Format the column as Date and check for errors.
      • Use =ISDATE() or try sorting the column — invalid dates won’t sort properly.
    1. Data Source Not Refreshed

     

    • Fix: Right-click the Pivot Table → Refresh
    1. Calculated Fields or Items

    Grouping doesn’t work on calculated fields.

    • Fix: Group only raw fields from the source data.

Resources