When creating crosstab worksheets for summarization, which type of column usually serves as the primary column?

The primary column in a crosstab worksheet is crucial for effectively summarizing data, and the date column serves this role well. By using dates as the primary column, analysts can organize the data over time, which is essential for tracking trends, seasonality, and performance metrics.

Date columns allow for a chronological ordering of information, enabling insights into how quantities or item names change over specified time periods. This organization is particularly valuable in reporting scenarios where understanding time-based patterns is necessary for decision-making.

In contrast, other column types—such as quantity, item name, or reference number—may provide important details but do not inherently support the time-based summarization and analysis that a date column facilitates. This makes the date column the most logical and effective choice for a primary column in crosstab worksheets.