How to create a two variable data table

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Two-Variable Data Table
Two-Variable Data Table in Excel
How to Perform a Two-Variable Data Table in Excel?
Component of Data Table
Limitation of the Data Table in Excel
Things to Remember About Two Variables Data Table in Excel
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Two-Variable Data Table is a very significant tool for what-if data analysis. With the help of two-variable data tables, we can find all possible trends that can arrive by changing different values. For example, if we know the annual sales of a company, its percentage of expenses and growth. So, by keeping annual sales constant we can find the projected sales of a company by varying expenses and growth. Let’s learn how to create a two-variable data table.

Two-Variable Data Table

A data table is a table in which we can find multiple values by adding some fields and formulas. A two-variable data table is a table in which value changes exactly according to two parameters and the rest of the parameters are kept constant.

Structure of two-variable data table

This could better be understood with an example, given the data set of a line, its x co-ordinate, the slope of a line, and its intercept. Find the different values of y co-ordinate keeping intercept as constant.

Following are the steps to create a two-variable data table:

Step 1: In cell B7, write the formula for finding the y co-ordinate of a line i.e. y = m*x + c.

Step 2: Copy the same formula in cell D3.

Step 3: Write X Coordinates row-wise i.e. D4:D8. Write slope values column-wise i.e. E3:H3.

Step 4: Select the range in which you want to make a data table i.e. D3:H8.

Step 5: Go to the Data tab, and click on What-If analysis. A list appears. Click on the data table.

Step 6: A dialogue box appears. Select the cells used in the formula in cell D3. For the row input cell select cell B4 and column input cell select cell B5. Click Ok.

Step 7: The two-variable data table is created. All the cells ranging from E4: H8 have different values of y coordinates for different x coordinates and slopes.

Two-Variable Data Table in Excel (Table of Contents)

Two-Variable Data Table in Excel

Two-Variable Data Table in Excel allows users to test two variables or values at one time or simultaneously in a data table for created formula. It is only useful when the formula depends on several values that can be used for two variables. For the complete data table, we can test two input cells for a series of values on the basis of the What-If analysis option, which is available under the Data menu tab.

How to Perform a Two-Variable Data Table in Excel?

Two-Variable Data Table in Excel is very simple and easy to create. Let’s understand the working of the Two-Variable Data Table in Excel by Some Examples.

Two-Variable Data Table in Excel Example #1

Create Two Variable data table for the different Loan Amount and months

Pre-requisite: Write down a sample calculation. As mention in the workbook Example #1. Assume a Total loan amount, i.e.₹ 1,000,000.00, Interest Rate (Yearly), i.e. 6%, Number of the month for EMI / Payment, i.e. 1o Month and apply PMT formulas (=PMT (C3/12, C4, C2)) to calculate the EMI.

The result is given below:

Step 1: Write down the desired months input in column E and Loan amount in row 4

Step 2: Enter all user desired months in column F

Step 3: Enter all desired loan amount in the 5th row of a sheet.

Step 4: Select cell F5 and the assigned value of the cell C5, click Enter.

Step 5: Now select all dataset from F5 to F16 and F5 to M5

Step 6: Go to Data tab > click on the What-if Analysis drop-down list toolbar > select Data Table.

Step 7: Data Table pop up will appear with two input cells for the row, and column >Select Loan amount in the Row input cell and no. of months for Payment in Column input cell > click OK button.

Step 8: Result will be published per month loan re-payment amount as per the combination of each month and loan amount data set.

Summary of Example #1

As we can see in the data table for each month and Loan amount. If a user wants to take ₹ 2,000,000.00 loans, then he needs to pay ₹ -105,332.90 for the next 20 Months as EMI.

The same amount if a person wants to pay for the next 30 months, then ₹ -38,665.60 Need to pay as EMI. There are so many scenarios for multiple months and respective re-pay the amount as EMI.

Two-Variable Data Table in Excel Example #2

Create a Two-Variable data table for the different Loan Amount and Interest rate

Pre-requisite: Write down a sample calculation. As mentioned in the workbook Example #2. Assume a Total loan amount, i.e.₹ 1,000,000.00, Interest Rate (Yearly), i.e. 2%, Number of the month for EMI / Payment, i.e. 1o Month and apply PMT formulas (=PMT (C3/12, C4, C2)) to calculate the EMI.

The result is given below:

Step 1: Write down desired Interest rate input in the column D and Loan amount in row 3

Step 2: Enter all user desired interest rates in the E column.

Step 3: Enter all desired loan amount in the 4th row of the sheet.

Step 4: Select cell E4 and the assigned value of cell C5, click Enter.

Step 5: Now select all datasets from E4 to E15 and E4 to J4.

Step 6: Go to Data tab > click on the What-if Analysis drop-down list toolbar > select Data Table.

Step 7: Data Table pop up will appear with two input cells for the row, and column >Select Loan amount in the Row input cell and interest rate in Column input cell > click ok button.

Step 8: Result will be published per month loan re-payment amount as per the combination of different Interest rate and loan amount data set.

Summary of Example #2

As we can see in the data table for each Interest rate and loan amount as a result. If a user wants to take ₹ 2,000,000.00 loans, he needs to pay as EMI ₹ -203,684.97 for 4% of the interest rate to the next 10 months.

The same amount if a person wants to pay for the next 3% interest rate, then ₹ -202,760.30 Need to pay as EMI. There are so many scenarios for multiple Interest rate and respective re-pay amount as EMI.

Component of Data Table

Row Input Cell: Enter the value for which a user filled in a row and want to see the analyzed result.
Column Input Cell: Enter the value for which a user filled in a Column and want to see the analyzed result.

When to use Two Variables Data Table:

If there are multiple scenarios for two input variables, then prefer two-variable data table tools.
If a user wants to use the PMT function, then the Data table will be best for it to see multiple results on changing input values.
Most people want to see EMI after changing the month and the Loan amount for the constant interest rate for loan calculation.
If a user wants to change the value of the constant variable, it will reflect for all the results array of the data table.

Limitation of the Data Table in Excel

It cannot use more than two variables as an input parameter for analysis because it has the limitation of either use one variable or two variables.
Data tables are calculated each time when a user opens a workbook which has a data table. It will not matter that the user doing any changes in the workbook or not; to save this, a user needs to change the calculation option to Automatically Recalculate the workbook, not the data table.
After applying the data table, the resultant table a user cannot edit or delete a single result because the result is an array. It will throw an error “Cannot change part of a data table.”

Things to Remember About Two Variables Data Table in Excel

If a user wants to edit or delete a part of the result from the data table, then he needs to select the entire array range and then press the Delete key on the keyword. If the user wants to do undo or Ctl+Z, it will not work, and the user needs to go with the previous method.