PivotdrillRunning total
Right-click a value, choose Show Values As, Running Total In, and pick the field to accumulate along, usually the month or date field. Each row then shows the total so far; the last row equals the Grand Total. Drag the field into Values twice to keep the monthly figure too.
Syntax
Right-click a value > Show Values As > Running Total In > Base field: Months| Part | What it is |
|---|---|
Running Total In | Cumulative sum down the chosen field |
% Running Total In | Cumulative share of the total, ends at 100% |
Base field | The order to accumulate in; must be a field in Rows or Columns |
Examples
Rows: Months. Values: Sum of Revenue, Sum of Revenue (Running Total In Months)Result: Jan 5,000 and 5,000; Feb 4,000 and 9,000; Mar 6,000 and 15,000; the running column grows each month.
Rows: Years, Months. Values: Sum of Revenue (Running Total In Months)Result: The cumulative figure restarts at each new year because Months is the inner field.
Rows: Customer (sorted largest to smallest). Values: Sum of Revenue (% Running Total In Customer)Result: A Pareto view: the cumulative share reaches 100% on the last customer.
Common mistakes
- The running total is the same as the plain sum: the base field is wrong; pick the field that is actually in Rows.
- It accumulates in alphabetical order: sort the base field the way you want before reading the cumulative column.
- Running total across years merges into one line: nest Years above Months so it resets each year.
Practice Running total
These drills check your answer on live data, free, no account needed.
- Revenue by monthShow total Revenue for each month of 2025.
- Ticket volume per monthCount tickets opened per month, with Channel across the top.
Questions
How do I make a cumulative sum in a pivot table?
Show Values As, Running Total In, base field Months (or whatever orders your rows). Add the field twice to keep the plain monthly sum as well.
Can a running total work in a Google Sheets pivot table?
Yes. In the Values settings, Show as offers Running total in Google Sheets as well.
Related
- Difference from previousCompare periods inside a pivot table with Show Values As, Difference From and % Difference From. Pick the base field and (previous); why period one is blank.
- Percent of grand totalShow each row as a share of the overall total with Show Values As, % of Grand Total. Add it next to the raw numbers, format it, compare with parent totals.
- Group dates by month, quarter and yearGroup a date field in a pivot table by months, quarters and years with right-click, Group, and get year by month breakdowns. Auto grouping, ungrouping, weeks.