How to Remove Blank Rows in Excel Pivot Table: Easy Guide

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Removing blank rows in an Excel Pivot Table is a common challenge for many users. Fortunately, eliminating these empty rows can be achieved quickly and efficiently by following a few simple steps. In this article, we will walk you through the process, ensuring that your Pivot Table remains clean and easy to analyze.

Why Blank Rows Appear in Excel Pivot Tables

Before we jump into the steps to remove blank rows, it’s essential to understand why these rows appear in the first place. Typically, blank rows in a Pivot Table occur due to:

• Missing data in the source table.
• Grouped items that include blanks.
• Data imported from external sources with inconsistent formatting.

Now, let’s move on to the solution.

How to Remove Blank Rows in Excel Pivot Table

Step 1: Identify the Source of the Blank Rows

The first step is to check your source data for any missing or incomplete entries. If the blank rows are due to missing data, you’ll need to fill in or delete those entries before refreshing your Pivot Table. This is crucial because any changes in the source data directly impact the Pivot Table.

Steps to identify and fix missing data:

1. Go to your source data and look for empty cells in the columns that feed into your Pivot Table.
2. Fill in the missing data or delete the rows entirely if they are unnecessary.
3. Refresh your Pivot Table by right-clicking it and selecting “Refresh”.

Step 2: Filter Out Blank Rows Using the Pivot Table Options

If the blanks are still present after checking the source data, you can use the Pivot Table Options to filter them out.

Steps to filter out blank rows:

1. Click anywhere inside your Pivot Table to bring up the Pivot Table Tools.
2. Go to the “Design” tab on the Ribbon.
3. Select “Report Layout” and choose “Show in Tabular Form”.
4. Next, go to “Blank Rows” and select “Remove Blank Line After Each Item”.

This method effectively removes blank rows caused by grouped items or inconsistent data formatting.

Step 3: Use a Filter to Remove Blank Rows

Another effective way to remove blank rows is by applying a filter within the Pivot Table.

Steps to apply a filter:

1. Click on the dropdown arrow in any row or column field header.
2. Deselect the “(blank)” option from the dropdown list.
3. This will immediately remove all blank rows from your Pivot Table.

Step 4: Manually Remove Blank Rows (If Needed)

In some cases, especially with complex datasets, you may need to remove blank rows manually. While this is less efficient, it can be necessary when dealing with data that can’t be altered at the source.

Steps to manually remove blank rows:

1. Identify the blank rows in your Pivot Table.
2. Right-click on each blank row and choose “Delete” from the context menu.

While manual removal can be tedious, it is a sure-fire way to ensure your Pivot Table is free from unwanted blank rows.

Best Practices to Prevent Blank Rows in Pivot Tables

Prevention is always better than cure. Here are some best practices to avoid blank rows in the first place:

1) Keep Your Source Data Clean

• Avoid leaving empty cells in your source data.
• Regularly check for and remove duplicate entries.
• Ensure that all columns feeding into your Pivot Table are fully populated.

2) Use Data Validation

Data validation can help prevent users from entering incomplete or incorrect data in the source table, reducing the chances of blank rows appearing in your Pivot Table.

Steps to set up data validation:

1. Select the range of cells where data will be entered.
2. Go to the “Data” tab and select “Data Validation”.
3. Set your validation criteria (e.g., require text, numbers, dates, etc.).

3) Regularly Refresh Your Pivot Table

Always remember to refresh your Pivot Table after making any changes to the source data. This ensures that any updates, including the removal of blanks, are reflected in the Pivot Table.

Steps to refresh your Pivot Table:

1. Right-click anywhere within the Pivot Table.
2. Select “Refresh” from the context menu.

4) Utilize Excel Functions to Clean Data

Certain Excel functions can help you clean your data before it gets to the Pivot Table.

• IFERROR: Use this function to handle errors in your data.
• TRIM: This function removes any extra spaces from your text entries, which can sometimes cause issues in Pivot Tables.
• SUBSTITUTE: Replace any unwanted characters or strings within your data to ensure consistency.

Troubleshooting Common Issues with Blank Rows in Pivot Tables

Despite your best efforts, you might still encounter some common issues related to blank rows. Here are a few troubleshooting tips:

Issue 1: Blank Rows Persist After Removing Them

Sometimes, blank rows may persist even after following the removal steps. This could be due to hidden characters or spaces in your source data.

Solution:

• Use the TRIM and CLEAN functions to remove any hidden characters.
• Check for and remove any leading or trailing spaces in your data.

Issue 2: Pivot Table Displays “(blank)” in Row or Column Headers

When your Pivot Table shows “(blank)” in row or column headers, it typically indicates missing data in the source table.

Solution:

• Return to the source data and fill in the missing entries.
• Refresh the Pivot Table after making changes.

Issue 3: Pivot Table Slow or Unresponsive After Removing Blank Rows

Removing blank rows, especially in large datasets, can sometimes make your Pivot Table slow or unresponsive.

Solution:

• Break your data into smaller, more manageable chunks.
• Use Excel’s Power Pivot feature for large datasets, which can handle more complex data without performance issues.

Using Advanced Techniques to Remove Blank Rows in Pivot Tables

For more advanced users, there are additional techniques you can use to remove blank rows from your Pivot Table.

Using VBA (Visual Basic for Applications)

If you’re comfortable with coding, you can use a VBA macro to automate the removal of blank rows.

Sample VBA code:

Sub RemoveBlankRows()
    Dim pt As PivotTable
    Dim pf As PivotField
    Dim pi As PivotItem

    Set pt = ActiveSheet.PivotTables("PivotTable1") ' Adjust to your Pivot Table name
    Set pf = pt.RowFields(1) ' Adjust to your specific field

    For Each pi In pf.PivotItems
        If pi.Name = "(blank)" Then
            pi.Visible = False
        End If
    Next pi
End Sub

This code automatically hides any blank rows in your Pivot Table. Just adjust the Pivot Table and field names to match your setup.

Using Power Query to Clean Data Before Creating Pivot Tables

Power Query is another powerful tool within Excel that can help clean your data before creating a Pivot Table. Power Query allows you to easily remove duplicates, split columns, and manipulate your data in various ways before loading it into your Pivot Table. This can save you time and effort in organizing your data, and ensure that your Pivot Table is based on clean, accurate information. Additionally, Power Query also enables you to flatten Excel Pivot Table, making it easier to perform further analysis and create meaningful visualizations from your data.

Steps to use Power Query:

1. Go to the “Data” tab and select “Get & Transform Data”.
2. Choose “From Table/Range” and load your data into Power Query.
3. Use the “Remove Rows” function in Power Query to eliminate blank rows.
4. Close and load the clean data back into Excel and create your Pivot Table.

Final Thoughts

Removing blank rows from an Excel Pivot Table is a straightforward process that can be done through several methods. Whether you choose to filter them out, manually delete them, or use advanced techniques like VBA and Power Query, keeping your Pivot Table clean and organized will make your data analysis more efficient and accurate. Remember to always maintain a clean source data set, regularly refresh your Pivot Table, and use the tools available in Excel to prevent blank rows from appearing in the first place.

Vaishvi Desai

Vaishvi Desai is the founder of Excelsamurai and a passionate Excel enthusiast with years of experience in data analysis and spreadsheet management. With a mission to help others harness the power of Excel, Vaishvi shares her expertise through concise, easy-to-follow tutorials on shortcuts, formulas, Pivot Tables, and VBA.