What is the primary function of a pivot table in Excel?

The primary function of a pivot table in Excel is to reorganize and summarize complex data. Pivot tables allow users to transform large datasets into concise and manageable reports. By dragging and dropping fields, users can quickly pivot the data, enabling them to view it from different angles and derive insights that would be difficult to obtain from the raw data alone. This feature is particularly powerful for aggregating values, calculating sums, averages, and counts, and categorizing data based on unique values in specified columns.

Unlike functions that create charts or graphs, pivot tables focus on data organization and summarization, which can then be used as a basis for creating visual representations if needed. They do not store data in a single location; instead, they merely reorganize existing data for easier analysis. While pivot tables can support advanced analyses through summarization and comparison, they are not designed specifically for performing advanced statistical analyses like regression or correlation, which typically require more specialized tools or functions.