A value that is used as an input for a function and which the function uses to calculate a result. The arguments of a function must correspond to the function's parameters.

A formula that combines numeric operands — numeric constants, functions that return numeric results, and fields or items that contain numeric values — with mathematical operators to perform a calculation.

A collection of formatting options — alignments, fonts, borders, and patterns — that Excel defines for different areas of a PivotTable.

A query that Excel executes behind the scenes so that you can continue to perform other work in Excel.

In a running total summary calculation, the field on which to base the accumulation.

The number of units of a product that you must sell for the profit to be 0.

A new data field in which the values are the result of a custom calculation formula.

A new item in a row or column field in which the values are the result of a custom calculation.

The PivotChart drop area in which the category field appears.

A source data field added to the PivotChart's category area; the field's items form the chart's X-axis values.

The PivotTable drop area in which the column field appears.

A source data field added to a PivotTable's column area; the field's items form the report's columns.

A type of text file in which the items on each line are separated by commas.

A formula that combines numeric operands — numeric constants, functions that return numeric results, and fields or items that contain numeric values — with special operators to compare one operand with another.

Formatting — a custom font, border, and pattern — applied to any cells that match criteria that you specify.

Data that is combined from two or more ranges but have a similar structure.

A fixed value that you insert into a formula and use as-is.

One or more expressions that filter a query by specifying the conditions that each record must meet to be included in the results.

A formula that you define to produce PivotTable values that otherwise do not appear in the report if you use only the source data fields and Excel's built-in summary calculations.

The calculated values that appear within the data area.

The application of tools and techniques to organize, study, reach conclusions about, and sometimes also make predictions about, a specific collection of information.

The PivotTable drop area in which the data field appears.

A data source that connects to a wide variety of data, including ODBC, SQL Server, SQL Server OLAP Services, Oracle, and Web-based data retrieval services.

A source data field added to a PivotTable's data area; Excel uses the field's numeric data to perform the report's summary calculations.

A collection of cells designed as a worksheet version of some real-world concept or scenario. The model includes not only the raw data, but also one or more cells that represent some analysis of the data.

A file, database, or server that contains data.

A range of cells where one column consists of a series of input cells. You can then apply each of those inputs to a single formula, and Excel displays the results for each case.

A data structure with a central fact table that contains the numeric data you want to summarize and pointers to surrounding related tables.

A text file that contains data and each line item is separated by a delimiter.

The character used to separate items on each line in a text file.

A category of data in a data warehouse. A dimension is analogous to a row, column, or page field in an ordinary data source.

View the details that underlie a specific data value in a PivotTable.

A region of the PivotTable onto which you can drop a field from the source data or from another area of the PivotTable.

Source data that comes from a nonExcel file or database, or from a remote source such as a server or Web page.

The primary table in a data warehouse. The fact table contains data on events or processes — the facts — within a business, such as sales transactions or company expenses.

A distinct category of data in a PivotTable or a database table.

A text file containing data where the items on each line use up a set amount of space.

A set of symbols and values that perform some kind of calculation and produce a result. All Excel formulas have the same general structure: an equals sign (=) followed by one or more operands separated by one or more operators.

A predefined formula that is built-into Excel.

The totals that appear in a PivotTable for each row and column item.

The field that is closest to the data area in the row or column area.

The cells used as input values by a data table.

A unique value from a row, column, or page field.

The nondata area elements of a PivotTable. The labels include the field buttons, field items, and page area drop-down list.

A collection of hierarchical groupings in a data warehouse dimension.

A worksheet collection of related information with an organizational structure that makes it easy to add, edit, and sort data. A list is a type of database where the data is organized into rows and columns, with each column representing a database field and with each row representing a database record.

A column of numeric values within a data warehouse fact table. A measure represents the data that you want to summarize.

The items that appear within each level in a data warehouse dimension.

An action you can perform on an object.

A special window in which you can view, edit, and run VBA macros.

OLAP data in which the fact table contains keys to multiple dimension tables.

A distinct item that is manipulable via VBA code.

A complete summary of the objects associated with a particular program or feature, the hierarchy used by those objects, and the properties and methods supported by each object.

Open Database Connectivity. A database standard that enables a program to connect to and manipulate a data source.

Online analytical processing. A database technology that enables you to quickly retrieve and summarize immense and complex data sources.

A data structure that takes the information in a data warehouse and summarizes each measure by every dimension, level, and member.

A version of an OLAP cube that has been saved to a local or network folder. A cube file is "offline" in the sense that the data is not connected to an OLAP server, so it is a static snapshot of the data.

In a worksheet formula, a literal value, cell reference, range, range name, or worksheet function. In a custom calculation formula, a literal value, worksheet function, PivotTable field, or PivotTable item.

In a formula, a symbol that combines operands in some way, such as the plus sign (+) and the multiplication sign (*).

The order in which Excel processes operands in a formula.

A function argument that you are free to use or omit, depending on your needs.

In the row or column area, the field that is farthest from the data area.

The PivotTable drop area in which the page field appears.

A source data field added to a PivotTable's page area; you use the field's items to filter the report.

A placeholder in a function that specifies the type of argument value.

A PivotTable field item that no longer exists in the source data.

Move a field from one drop area of a PivotTable to another.

Source data that Excel keeps in memory to improve PivotTable performance.

A programmable characteristic of an object.

Retrieves data from an external data source, particularly by specifying the tables and fields you want to work with, filtering the records using criteria, and sorting the results.

Queries the server for new data each time you change the page field item; used with a server page field.

An individual set of field data in a database table.

Rebuild a PivotTable report using the most current version of the source data.

A function argument that must appear between the function's parentheses in the specified position.

The PivotTable drop area in which the row field appears.

A source data field added to a PivotTable's row area; the field's items form the report's rows.

A type of summary calculation that returns the cumulative sum of the values that appear in a given set of data. Most running totals accumulate over a period of time.

A collection of input values that you plug into formulas within a model to produce a result.

Create a trust certificate that applies only to your own VBA projects and only to those projects on your own computer.

The PivotChart drop area in which the series field appears.

A source data field added to the PivotChart's series area; the field's items form the chart's data series.

A page field in which Excel only retrieves the data for the currently displayed page item. When you display a different page, Excel queries the server and retrieves the new data.

The order in which Excel solves the calculated items in a PivotTable.

The original data from which you built your PivotTable. The source data can be an Excel range or list, an Access table, a Word table, a text file, a Web page, an XML file, SQL Server data, or OLAP server data, among others.

A type of data warehouse.

The mathematical operation that Excel applies to the values in a numeric field to yield the summary that appears in the data area. Excel offers 11 built-in summary calculations: Sum, Count, Average, Maximum, Minimum, Product, Count Numbers, Standard Deviation (sample), Standard Deviation (population), Variance (sample), and Variance (population).

A two-dimensional arrangement of rows and columns that contains data in a database.

The creation of worksheet models designed to analyze hypothetical situations.

eXtensible Markup Language. A standard that enables the management and sharing of structured data using simple text files.