Hi Adam

the data area is for the information that you want to sum
the columns and rows are used for categories
for example, if you had the following data in an access table
Deptartment............ExpenseType.........Amount

and you wanted a pivot table showing the expenses for each dept you would
drag
department to the column area
expense type to the row area
and amount to the data area
giving you the following

............Sales..........Accounts...........Prod uction ...Total
Meals...100..............50......................3 00............450
Travel....1000.................................... ....................1000
total......1100..............50................... .300..............1450

also check out www.contextures.com for pivot table info

Cheers
JulieD

"Adam" wrote in message
...
I am trying to create a pivot table based on an Access table.
when I create the pivot table and link it to the table it asks me to drag
the column fields, the row fields, and data into the proper area. I don't
want any row fields, and i dont quite understand what the data area is-or
what is supposed to go there. I just want to drop the columns in with the
data in each colum then sum them at the bottom.

CAn you please help because my pivot table looks like a mess?