Skip to content
Free Excel Tutorials
  • Home
  • Excel For Beginners
  • Excel Intermediate
  • Advanced Excel For Experts

Data Analysis

  • How to Create Column Chart in Excel
  • How To Create Pareto Chart in Excel
  • How to conditionally sum numeric data in an Excel table using SUMIFS
  • How To Sort One Column or Multiple Columns in Excel
  • How to Create Thermometer Chart in Excel

References

  • To count total rows in a range in Excel
  • Merge tables with VLOOKUP in Excel
  • Find closest match in Excel
  • How to get relative column numbers in a range in Excel
  • Vlookup Examples in Excel

Data Validations

  • Excel Data validation no punctuation
  • Excel Data validation only dates between
  • Excel Data validation allow uppercase only
  • Excel Data validation require unique number
  • How To Create Drop-down List in Excel

How to Create One and Two Variable Data Tables in Excel

by

One Variable  and Two Variable Data Table in Excel

Instead of creating different scenarios, you can create a data table to quickly try out different values for formulas. You can create a one variable data table or a two variable data table.

Assume you own a book store and have 100 books in storage. You sell a certain % for the highest price of $50 and a certain % for the lower price of $20. If you sell 60% for the highest price, cell D10 below calculates a total profit of 60 * $50 + 40 * $20 = $3800.

One Variable Data Table

To create a one variable data table, execute the following steps.

1. Select cell B12 and type =D10 (refer to the total profit cell).

2. Type the different percentages in column A.

3. Select the range A12:B17.

We are going to calculate the total profit if you sell 60% for the highest price, 70% for the highest price, etc.

4. On the Data tab, in the Forecast group, click What-If Analysis.

5. Click Data Table.

6. Click in the ‘Column input cell’ box (the percentages are in a column) and select cell C4.

We select cell C4 because the percentages refer to cell C4 (% sold for the highest price). Together with the formula in cell B12, Excel now knows that it should replace cell C4 with 60% to calculate the total profit, replace cell C4 with 70% to calculate the total profit, etc.

Note: this is a one variable data table so we leave the Row input cell blank.

7. Click OK.

Result.

Conclusion: if you sell 60% for the highest price, you obtain a total profit of $3800, if you sell 70% for the highest price, you obtain a total profit of $4100, etc.

Note: the formula bar indicates that the cells contain an array formula. Therefore, you cannot delete a single result. To delete the results, select the range B13:B17 and press Delete.

Two Variable Data Table

To create a two variable data table, execute the following steps.

1. Select cell A12 and type =D10 (refer to the total profit cell).

2. Type the different unit profits (highest price) in row 12.

3. Type the different percentages in column A.

4. Select the range A12:D17.

We are going to calculate the total profit for the different combinations of ‘unit profit (highest price)’ and ‘% sold for the highest price’.

5. On the Data tab, in the Forecast group, click What-If Analysis.

6. Click Data Table.

7. Click in the ‘Row input cell’ box (the unit profits are in a row) and select cell D7.

8. Click in the ‘Column input cell’ box (the percentages are in a column) and select cell C4.

We select cell D7 because the unit profits refer to cell D7. We select cell C4 because the percentages refer to cell C4. Together with the formula in cell A12, Excel now knows that it should replace cell D7 with $50 and cell C4 with 60% to calculate the total profit, replace cell D7 with $50 and cell C4 with 70% to calculate the total profit, etc.

9. Click OK.

Result.

Conclusion: if you sell 60% for the highest price, at a unit profit of $50, you obtain a total profit of $3800, if you sell 80% for the highest price, at a unit profit of $60, you obtain a total profit of $5200, etc.

Note: the formula bar indicates that the cells contain an array formula. Therefore, you cannot delete a single result. To delete the results, select the range B13:D17 and press Delete.

Post navigation

Previous Post:

TRUE function: Description, Usage, Syntax, Examples and Explanation

Next Post:

Excel Pie Chart

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Learn Basic Excel

Ribbon
Workbook
Worksheets
Format Cells
Find & Select
Sort & Filter
Templates
Print
Share
Protect
Keyboard Shortcuts

Categories

  • Charts
  • Data Analysis
  • Data Validation
  • Excel Functions
    • Cube Functions
    • Database Functions
    • Date and Time Functions
    • Engineering Functions
    • Financial Functions
    • Information Functions
    • Logical Functions
    • Lookup and Reference Functions
    • Math and Trig Functions
    • Statistical Functions
    • Text Functions
    • Web Functions
  • Excel VBA
  • Excel Video Tutorials
  • Formatting
  • Grouping
  • Others

Logical Functions

  • IF with boolean logic in Excel
  • IF function: Description, Usage, Syntax, Examples and Explanation
  • Invoice status with nested if in Excel
  • IFERROR function: Description, Usage, Syntax, Examples and Explanation
  • Nested IF function example in Excel

Date Time

  • Get month from date in Excel
  • Count dates in current month in Excel
  • Calculate expiration date in Excel
  • Get date from day number in Excel
  • How to calculate next anniversary date or birthday in Excel

Grouping

  • Running count group by n size in Excel
  • Group numbers at uneven intervals in Excel
  • Categorize text with keywords in Excel
  • Group times into 3 hour buckets in Excel
  • If cell contains one of many things in Excel

General

  • How to increase by percentage in Excel
  • Hide and Unhide Columns or Rows in Excel
  • How to calculate percentage of total in Excel
  • How to Create Calendar in Excel
  • Create dynamic workbook reference to another workbook in Excel
© 2025 xlsoffice . All Right Reserved. | Teal Smiles | Abbreviations And Their Meaning