Modify Page Field Layout in Pivot Table

This article is a continuation of the Add Page Field in Pivot Table topic. It demonstrates how to control the layout of the page field area — the strip of filter controls at the top of a pivot table — including display order, wrap count, and field reordering.

Introduction

A pivot table in Microsoft Excel exposes a dedicated page field area that sits above the row/column/data body of the table. This area is rendered as a strip of dropdown filter controls (one per page field) and is what end-users click to slice the pivot by criteria such as year or region. Aspose.Cells for C++ models this area through the PivotTable.PageFields collection and exposes three properties that control how the strip is visually laid out:

PivotTable.PageFieldOrder (an Aspose.Cells.PrintOrderType value) decides whether additional page fields are placed next to the existing ones or below them.
PivotTable.PageFieldWrapCount sets how many page fields are placed per row or column before wrapping.
PivotTable.PageFields.Move(currIndex, destIndex) reorders the page fields without changing the order mode.

This article walks through three code examples that demonstrate each of these operations on a shared dataset, so that you can compare the resulting layouts side-by-side.

Source Data

All three examples below load these eight rows of sales data into a worksheet named PivotData. The data contains two page-field candidates (Year, Region), one row-field candidate (Fruit), and one measure (Amount), which makes the page-field strip meaningful to inspect.

Fruit	Year	Region	Amount
Apple	2022	North	150
Apple	2023	North	180
Banana	2022	South	120
Banana	2023	South	140
Cherry	2022	East	200
Cherry	2023	East	220
Grape	2022	West	90
Grape	2023	West	110

All eight rows are populated in every code example, in identical order, so the source data never differs between scenarios — only the page-field layout properties do.

Example 1: Over Then Down

In the first scenario we configure the two page fields (Year, Region) to appear side-by-side in a single row at the top of the pivot table. We assign Fruit to the row axis, place Year first and Region second on the page axis (the order of AddFieldToArea calls determines the starting index), add Amount (Sum) as the data field, and then set PageFieldOrder to PrintOrderType.OverThenDown with PageFieldWrapCount = 2. With OverThenDown and a wrap count of 2, the two page fields are laid out horizontally side-by-side in a single row at the top of the pivot table, so the strip occupies one row of width two.

#include "Aspose.Cells.h"
#include <string>
#include <filesystem>

using namespace Aspose::Cells;
using namespace Aspose::Cells::Pivot;

int main() {
    Aspose::Cells::Startup();

    std::string dataDir = "output";
    if (!std::filesystem::exists(dataDir)) {
        std::filesystem::create_directories(dataDir);
    }

    Workbook workbook;
    WorksheetCollection worksheets = workbook.GetWorksheets();

    Worksheet pivotDataSheet = worksheets.Add(u"PivotData");
    Cells pivotDataCells = pivotDataSheet.GetCells();

    // Headers (row 0)
    pivotDataCells.Get(0, 0).PutValue(u"Fruit");
    pivotDataCells.Get(0, 1).PutValue(u"Year");
    pivotDataCells.Get(0, 2).PutValue(u"Region");
    pivotDataCells.Get(0, 3).PutValue(u"Amount");

    // Row 1: Apple, 2022, North, 150
    pivotDataCells.Get(1, 0).PutValue(u"Apple");
    pivotDataCells.Get(1, 1).PutValue(2022);
    pivotDataCells.Get(1, 2).PutValue(u"North");
    pivotDataCells.Get(1, 3).PutValue(150);

    // Row 2: Apple, 2023, North, 180
    pivotDataCells.Get(2, 0).PutValue(u"Apple");
    pivotDataCells.Get(2, 1).PutValue(2023);
    pivotDataCells.Get(2, 2).PutValue(u"North");
    pivotDataCells.Get(2, 3).PutValue(180);

    // Row 3: Banana, 2022, South, 120
    pivotDataCells.Get(3, 0).PutValue(u"Banana");
    pivotDataCells.Get(3, 1).PutValue(2022);
    pivotDataCells.Get(3, 2).PutValue(u"South");
    pivotDataCells.Get(3, 3).PutValue(120);

    // Row 4: Banana, 2023, South, 140
    pivotDataCells.Get(4, 0).PutValue(u"Banana");
    pivotDataCells.Get(4, 1).PutValue(2023);
    pivotDataCells.Get(4, 2).PutValue(u"South");
    pivotDataCells.Get(4, 3).PutValue(140);

    // Row 5: Cherry, 2022, East, 200
    pivotDataCells.Get(5, 0).PutValue(u"Cherry");
    pivotDataCells.Get(5, 1).PutValue(2022);
    pivotDataCells.Get(5, 2).PutValue(u"East");
    pivotDataCells.Get(5, 3).PutValue(200);

    // Row 6: Cherry, 2023, East, 220
    pivotDataCells.Get(6, 0).PutValue(u"Cherry");
    pivotDataCells.Get(6, 1).PutValue(2023);
    pivotDataCells.Get(6, 2).PutValue(u"East");
    pivotDataCells.Get(6, 3).PutValue(220);

    // Row 7: Grape, 2022, West, 90
    pivotDataCells.Get(7, 0).PutValue(u"Grape");
    pivotDataCells.Get(7, 1).PutValue(2022);
    pivotDataCells.Get(7, 2).PutValue(u"West");
    pivotDataCells.Get(7, 3).PutValue(90);

    // Row 8: Grape, 2023, West, 110
    pivotDataCells.Get(8, 0).PutValue(u"Grape");
    pivotDataCells.Get(8, 1).PutValue(2023);
    pivotDataCells.Get(8, 2).PutValue(u"West");
    pivotDataCells.Get(8, 3).PutValue(110);

    // Add PivotTableReport sheet
    Worksheet pivotTableSheet = worksheets.Add(u"PivotTableReport");
    PivotTableCollection pivotTables = pivotTableSheet.GetPivotTables();

    // Create pivot table sourced from PivotData!A1:D9 placed at A1 on PivotTableReport
    int pivotIndex = pivotTables.Add(u"PivotData!A1:D9", u"A1", u"PivotTable1");
    PivotTable pivotTable = pivotTables.Get(pivotIndex);

    // Add fields
    pivotTable.AddFieldToArea(PivotFieldType::Row, 0);   // Fruit
    pivotTable.AddFieldToArea(PivotFieldType::Page, 1);  // Year
    pivotTable.AddFieldToArea(PivotFieldType::Page, 2);  // Region
    pivotTable.AddFieldToArea(PivotFieldType::Data, 3);  // Amount
    pivotTable.GetDataFields().Get(0).SetFunction(ConsolidationFunction::Sum);

    // Configure page field area layout: place page fields across first, wrap after every 2
    pivotTable.SetPageFieldOrder(PrintOrderType::OverThenDown);
    pivotTable.SetPageFieldWrapCount(2);

    // Refresh and calculate
    pivotTable.CalculateData();

    // Save
    std::string filePath = dataDir + "/pageFieldLayout_overThenDown.xlsx";
    workbook.Save(U16String(filePath.c_str()));

    Aspose::Cells::Cleanup();
    return 0;
}

Example 2: Down Then Over

In this example we place Fruit on the row axis, Year and Region on the page axis (with Year first), and Amount (Sum) as the data field — exactly as in Example 1. We then set PageFieldOrder to PrintOrderType.DownThenOver and PageFieldWrapCount to 2. With DownThenOver and a wrap count of 2, the two page fields are stacked vertically — Year on top, Region directly below — forming a single column at the top of the pivot table. The strip therefore occupies two rows of width one, in contrast to Example 1.

#include "Aspose.Cells.h"

using namespace Aspose::Cells;

int main() {
    Aspose::Cells::Startup();

    Workbook workbook;
    Worksheet pivotData = workbook.GetWorksheets().Get(0);
    pivotData.SetName(u"PivotData");
    Worksheet pivotReport = workbook.GetWorksheets().Add(u"PivotTableReport");

    const char* headers[] = { "Fruit", "Year", "Region", "Amount" };
    for (int c = 0; c < 4; c++)
    {
        pivotData.GetCells().Get(0, c).PutValue(U16String(headers[c]));
    }

    struct DataRow {
        U16String fruit;
        int year;
        U16String region;
        int amount;
    };

    DataRow data[] = {
        {U16String("Apple"),  2022, U16String("North"), 150},
        {U16String("Apple"),  2023, U16String("North"), 180},
        {U16String("Banana"), 2022, U16String("South"), 120},
        {U16String("Banana"), 2023, U16String("South"), 140},
        {U16String("Cherry"), 2022, U16String("East"),  200},
        {U16String("Cherry"), 2023, U16String("East"),  220},
        {U16String("Grape"),  2022, U16String("West"),  90},
        {U16String("Grape"),  2023, U16String("West"),  110}
    };

    for (int r = 0; r < 8; r++)
    {
        pivotData.GetCells().Get(r + 1, 0).PutValue(data[r].fruit);
        pivotData.GetCells().Get(r + 1, 1).PutValue(data[r].year);
        pivotData.GetCells().Get(r + 1, 2).PutValue(data[r].region);
        pivotData.GetCells().Get(r + 1, 3).PutValue(data[r].amount);
    }

    int idx = pivotReport.GetPivotTables().Add(u"PivotData!A1:D9", u"A1", u"PivotTable");
    PivotTable pivotTable = pivotReport.GetPivotTables().Get(idx);

    pivotTable.AddFieldToArea(PivotFieldType::Row, 0);
    pivotTable.AddFieldToArea(PivotFieldType::Page, 1);
    pivotTable.AddFieldToArea(PivotFieldType::Page, 2);
    pivotTable.AddFieldToArea(PivotFieldType::Data, 3);

    pivotTable.SetPageFieldOrder(PrintOrderType::DownThenOver);
    pivotTable.SetPageFieldWrapCount(2);

    pivotTable.CalculateData();

    workbook.Save(u"pageFieldLayout_downThenOver.xlsx");

    Aspose::Cells::Cleanup();
    return 0;
}

Example 3: Move a Page Field

In the third scenario we keep this dataset and field allocation, set a neutral layout (OverThenDown with wrap count 2), and then demonstrate the PageFields.Move operation. The Move(0, 1) call moves the page field at index 0 (Year) to position 1, and the page field that was at position 1 (Region) shifts to position 0. After this call, Region is the first page field and Year is the second. The wrap and order mode are unchanged, so the strip is still rendered horizontally side-by-side — only the order of the two dropdowns has been swapped.

#include "Aspose.Cells.h"

using namespace Aspose::Cells;
using namespace Aspose::Cells::Pivot;

int main() {
    Aspose::Cells::Startup();

    Workbook wb;

    Worksheet dataSheet = wb.GetWorksheets().Get(0);
    dataSheet.SetName(u"PivotData");

    Cells dataCells = dataSheet.GetCells();

    dataCells.Get(u"A1").PutValue(u"Fruit");
    dataCells.Get(u"B1").PutValue(u"Year");
    dataCells.Get(u"C1").PutValue(u"Region");
    dataCells.Get(u"D1").PutValue(u"Amount");

    dataCells.Get(u"A2").PutValue(u"Apple");
    dataCells.Get(u"B2").PutValue(2022);
    dataCells.Get(u"C2").PutValue(u"North");
    dataCells.Get(u"D2").PutValue(150);

    dataCells.Get(u"A3").PutValue(u"Apple");
    dataCells.Get(u"B3").PutValue(2023);
    dataCells.Get(u"C3").PutValue(u"North");
    dataCells.Get(u"D3").PutValue(180);

    dataCells.Get(u"A4").PutValue(u"Banana");
    dataCells.Get(u"B4").PutValue(2022);
    dataCells.Get(u"C4").PutValue(u"South");
    dataCells.Get(u"D4").PutValue(120);

    dataCells.Get(u"A5").PutValue(u"Banana");
    dataCells.Get(u"B5").PutValue(2023);
    dataCells.Get(u"C5").PutValue(u"South");
    dataCells.Get(u"D5").PutValue(140);

    dataCells.Get(u"A6").PutValue(u"Cherry");
    dataCells.Get(u"B6").PutValue(2022);
    dataCells.Get(u"C6").PutValue(u"East");
    dataCells.Get(u"D6").PutValue(200);

    dataCells.Get(u"A7").PutValue(u"Cherry");
    dataCells.Get(u"B7").PutValue(2023);
    dataCells.Get(u"C7").PutValue(u"East");
    dataCells.Get(u"D7").PutValue(220);

    dataCells.Get(u"A8").PutValue(u"Grape");
    dataCells.Get(u"B8").PutValue(2022);
    dataCells.Get(u"C8").PutValue(u"West");
    dataCells.Get(u"D8").PutValue(90);

    dataCells.Get(u"A9").PutValue(u"Grape");
    dataCells.Get(u"B9").PutValue(2023);
    dataCells.Get(u"C9").PutValue(u"West");
    dataCells.Get(u"D9").PutValue(110);

    Worksheet pivotSheet = wb.GetWorksheets().Add(u"PivotTableReport");

    int32_t pivotIndex = pivotSheet.GetPivotTables().Add(u"PivotData!A1:D9", u"A3", u"PivotTable");
    PivotTable pivotTable = pivotSheet.GetPivotTables().Get(pivotIndex);

    pivotTable.AddFieldToArea(PivotFieldType::Row, 0);
    pivotTable.AddFieldToArea(PivotFieldType::Page, 1);
    pivotTable.AddFieldToArea(PivotFieldType::Page, 2);
    pivotTable.AddFieldToArea(PivotFieldType::Data, 3);

    pivotTable.SetPageFieldOrder(PrintOrderType::OverThenDown);
    pivotTable.SetPageFieldWrapCount(2);

    pivotTable.GetPageFields().Move(0, 1);

    pivotTable.CalculateData();

    wb.Save(u"pageFieldLayout_move.xlsx");

    Aspose::Cells::Cleanup();
    return 0;
}

Add Page Field in Pivot Table — the parent page that introduces how page fields are added to a pivot table.
Row and Column Fields in Pivot Table — covers allocating fields to the row and column axes, complementing the page-axis work shown here.
Manage Value Fields in Pivot Table — describes how to configure the data (value) area, including the Sum aggregation used in this article.
Refresh Pivot Table — explains RefreshData and CalculateData, which are required after reordering page fields.
Apply Style to Pivot Table — shows how to format the rendered pivot table after the page-field strip has been laid out.

Show Report Filter Pages Option with C++