Recommendation on best way to analyze data in a table

Probably a very beginner question for this group, but I am looking for recommendations for the best approach to analyzing data in a table. I see pivot tables, sumifs, vloookup and index match and not sure which one is best or if it matters? I am using Excel 2016.

My table (sample attached) has different project names and dates. I want to be able to sum up the corrected volumes (column K) by project (column B) for my selected date range (column D) - thats the most important thing I need to do and the actual table is much longer (maybe 1000 rows)

I would also like to be able to sumup quantities by cell (column Q) by selected date as well

Is there one approach over another that is best and any examples or templates would be much appreciated. Roger

Thnanks, I thought it uploaded. Please let me know if this works.

Thanks for responding. I think a pivot table can do what I need but I am having one issue that I culd use some help with.

I need to be able to sum the corrected capacity (column K) by project (column B) for any date range I select (column D - [not by month column E but by specific dates (month/day/year) in column D)

I did the pivot table putting dates as rows but when I right click to do the filters to the row labels, I think it seeing the dates not as dates but as labels as thats the filter that I get (not a date filter but a "label" filter). I need to be able to get toal coreected yards between any two dates (i.e. 8/3/20 to 8/9/20)

I cant tell - but is Excel seeing the dates in Column D as labels or as dates? I tried to check those cells (far to the right outwide of the table) using some functions like datevalue but I cant tell if Excel is seeing them as dates or not, and if as dates, why cant I get a date filter. Label filter sort of works but some of the dates outside of the labels are coming in. I use Excel 2016 - is date filter an option? If I can get this to work, thats mainly what I need to do. SHould be simple but not sure what is wrong. I have attached my pivot table spreadsheet

thank you for your assistance,

That worked, thanks!

I guess I dont understand Excel well enough, I thought formatting was just how the cell looks but doesnt change the underlying data. So if the data in the cell was a date, then changing formatting doesnt change the data, just how you see it. So why wouldnt Excel see it as a date with any formatting?

But thanks again, that did the trick

Ok, I tied to implement this solution to my project table and I am still have problems to get Excel to recognize column D as a full date. It brings it in as a Month but not a d/m/yr even though I did the suggested formatting. I need to query between dates not just month. Excel is also creatign new fields for quarter and year even though I didn't ask it to but not doing full dates.

is there any way to get Excel to recognize the date column D as a full date (m/d/yr or d/m/yr) so I can use the date filter to query the Pivot Table between specific dates? I tried all different formatting types and nothing helped. Finding Excel dates to be very frustrating

thanks, R

ok, thanks, I removed any refrences to non-speific dates i.e. "<5/2018" or ">10/2019" (all non specific date references). I did what was suggested, using the "convert to columns" data option to make it m/d/yy and changed the formatting to custom per another reponse.

The Pivot Table is now recognizing all dates as m/d/yy and still I cant get it to give me a date filter. This is frustrating as to why Excel isnt recognizing the date column (Column D) as a date and giving me a date filter.

I would greatly appreciate any other thought on how to fix or perhaps I should dump the Pivot Table and try someting different. This should be easty, search by project with a date range.

Thanks, R